Skims’ advent calendar backlash tests the limits of brand-led pricing

Skims’ advent calendar promised 12 days of surprises. A viral TikTok unboxing instead triggered questions about whether its assortment of hair accessories, keychains and other small items justified the 148 dollars price.

The backlash started after creator Kayla Ryan shared a TikTok video opening the calendar, which has now attracted more than 18.9 million views and over 1.7 million likes. As she revealed its contents, including hair ties, clips and branded bobby pins, her disappointment grew. “I’m hoping this is a prank and the last one is a $150 gift card for all my money back,” Ryan said. Other shoppers subsequently posted their own critical unboxings, turning an individual product review into a debate about the assortment’s value.

Following the backlash, the brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian responded by offering purchasers a choice of a full refund or store credit.

In a statement to Today.com, a spokesperson acknowledged that “for some, the calendar didn’t meet expectations” and said the company had personally contacted every customer who bought one. “We want every customer to be truly happy with what they receive from SKIMS,” the spokesperson added. “Their feedback matters to us and will directly shape how we approach future releases.”

For fashion and beauty brands, advent calendars offer a seasonal marketing opportunity: packaging products into a giftable format that encourages discovery and repeated engagement. But the same unboxing ritual can expose a gap between a brand’s pricing and customers’ assessment of the contents, as Chanel previously experienced with its own much-criticized calendar in 2021. For Skims, the question is not simply whether consumers want branded accessories, but how much of a premium the name can support when the assortment sits outside the apparel categories on which its reputation was built.

Despite the backlash, the calendar remains listed on Skims’ website. It is not currently available for immediate purchase, with shoppers instead invited to join a waiting list.

FashionUnited has reached out to Skims.