Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line, Skims, has once again made waves with a decidedly audacious release: a thong adorned with faux pubic hair. Dubbed the Faux Hair Micro String Thong or “The Ultimate Bush,” this risqué launch mashes up cool fashion with retro appeal—and sparked a whirlwind of backlash on social media.
A bold new frontier in lingerie
On October 14, 2025, Skims released its most audacious panty yet: nearly-there, super-sheer thong panel “hand-tufted with a mix of curly and straight faux hair in twelve varying shade options” and costing $32. XXS to 4XL, the front of the thong features a fuzzy faux-hair area, with a G-string back. This handcrafted art pays tribute to the renaissance of the merkin, a pubic wig originally donned for decency or hygiene, resurrected here as high-tech undergarments.
Retro game show campaign
To introduce the new design, Skims released a 1970s-inspired satirical campaign video mocking traditional game shows. A gritty video features a silver-haired presenter questioning models on podiums with enormous question marks, teasing viewers with the question “Does the Carpet Match the Drapes?”. The brand captioned the ad, “Just Dropped: The Ultimate Bush. With our fearless new Faux Hair Panty, your carpet can be whatever you want it to be”.
Kim Kardashian did not model the product herself but narrated Instagram Stories over footage showing the twelve colors. “How ridiculous are these merkins, guys? Different colors, different hairs—this is wild. Skims, baby!” she exclaimed, echoing the tongue-in-cheek attitude of the debut.
Fan reactions
Reactions to the Faux Hair Micro String Thong were as varied as its color palette. Many fans admitted to bewilderment: “Who asked for this? Is everything okay?” one commenter wrote, while another quipped, “I’m calling 911”. Social media users riffed on the design’s novelty, with references to infamous figures like Ed Gein, drawing parallels between the thong’s hair-raising aesthetic and the macabre.
Despite the shock factor, others praised Kardashian’s business savvy. “Good way to get individuals to your website, make them laugh, then end up paying for actual adorbs things they don’t even need. Genius e-commerce team,” wrote one supporter. Influencers highlighted Skims’ skill at generating viral moments and complimented the campaign’s bold humor.
Sell-out sensation
The response to the drop was immediate: the Faux Hair Micro String Thongs had sold out hours after their release. While Skims has not provided the exact amounts of stock, consumers willing to get their hands on a pair have been requested to join a waitlist for a restock. The immediate sell-out is indicative of both the appeal of limited-edition drops and the audience’s eagerness for bold fashion statements.
The evolution of Skims
Since its inception in 2020, Skims has expanded from shapewear to bras, activewear, face wraps and more, often causing controversy with its ultra-edgy offerings. This year alone, the brand debuted its first-ever face-shaping wrap featuring collagen yarns, followed by a pierced nipple push-up bra that caused its own controversy. The faux-hair thong is the brand’s latest foray into body modification and has raised controversy around commercializing the female body once more.
Read more: Good news for drug prices: Pfizer announces deal with Trump
