Belief: Culture moves faster than campaigns.

Building authentic brand participation within one of the world's most culturally significant moments

595

Athletes visited the welcome experience

23

Sports represented

13M+

Views on top-performing content

33

Olympic & Paralympic athlete partnerships


Overview

As the Official loungewear partner of Team USA, SKIMS expanded its Olympic and Paralympic partnership beyond gifting for the 2024 Paris Games. In addition to supporting athletes with product, the brand established its first onsite presence at the Team USA Welcome Experience and partnered with Olympic and Paralympic athletes to create content throughout their journey in Paris.

The objective was to deepen brand affinity, support athletes during a defining moment in their careers, and participate authentically in the broader Olympic conversation through storytelling, hospitality, and experience.

My role focused on athlete partnerships, content strategy, and supporting the onsite athlete experience.


Insight

Global cultural moments can't be manufactured. The opportunity wasn't to create attention, but to participate authentically in a conversation that already existed.

The strongest stories would come from helping athletes share their real experiences rather than directing a traditional campaign.


Strategy

The strategy centered on athlete-first storytelling and relationship building.

Athletes were selected across a diverse range of sports, balancing visibility with storytelling potential. Rather than prioritizing reach alone, the focus was on identifying athletes who could bring audiences into their Olympic and Paralympic journeys through authentic, personal narratives. Through collaborative briefing sessions, content concepts were developed alongside athletes and their teams, ensuring each story felt natural to the athlete while supporting broader Team USA and SKIMS objectives.

To deepen those relationships, SKIMS also established an onsite presence at the Team USA Welcome Experience, providing product expertise, fittings, and real-time support as athletes prepared for the Games.

My Role

Athlete Partnerships & Content Strategy

  • Led content partnerships across Olympic & Paralympic athletes

  • Negotiated athlete agreements & managed relationships with athlete teams

  • Developed creative direction and content concepts trough collaborative briefing sessions

  • Navigated Rule 40 restrictions, sponsorship conflicts, competition schedules and approval processes

Experience & Relationship Building

  • Supported SKIMS first onsite activation at the Team USA Welcome Experience

  • Coordinated product logistics and gifting operations ahead of athlete arrival

  • Hosted athletes throughout the experience, providing product guidance and fit support - 595 athletes total

  • Assisted athletes with content creation while onsite

  • Helped strengthen athlete relationships through direct engagement and education

Impact

Athlete Impact

  • Partnered with 26 Olympic athletes across 19 sports

  • Partnered with 7 Paralympic athletes across 4 sports

  • Earned widespread participation beyond contracted deliverables through strong athlete relationships and engagement

Social Impact

  • Athlete-led storytelling generated viral moments across Instagram and TikTok

  • Top-performing content exceeded 13 million views

  • Earned visibility was amplified through organic athlete participation and gifting content

Brand Impact

  • Helped transform the Team USA partnership from a product sponsorship into a more personal, relationship-driven brand experience

  • Increased opportunities for athlete education, product discovery, and direct engagement with the SKIMS team

  • Created a stronger foundation for long-term athlete advocacy and organic participation

  • Positioned SKIMS as an active participant in the athlete journey rather than solely a sponsor

Key Takeaway

This project reinforced my belief that culture moves faster than campaigns.

The Olympic Games already command global attention. The opportunity wasn't to create a moment—it was to participate in one authentically. By building trust with athletes, supporting their stories, and establishing an onsite presence during a defining moment in their careers, SKIMS became more than a sponsor. The partnership evolved into a meaningful part of the athlete experience.

This project shaped how I think about partnerships today: the strongest brand relationships are built through presence, collaboration, and cultural relevance—not control.

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Curating Desirability at the Intersection of Luxury and Culture