The Skims Paycheck Cannot Be This Good

Between Sabrina Carpenter and Nicola Coughlan's recent campaigns, the girls keep Kompromising for a Kardashian check.

By Audra Heinrichs | June 18, 2024 | 3:59pm

Photos: Getty Images Celebrities

This week, Sabrina Carpenter spoke to Rolling Stone about her rising star and, more importantly (at least where headlines are concerned), about her April Skims campaign and how unbothered famed Kardashian foe (and Carpenter’s friend), Taylor Swift, supposedly was about the whole thing.

“In that scenario, I’ve been very, very communicative with [Taylor] about that situation, and I just love her so much and support her till the end,” Carpenter said. “So it was no weirdness for me, but I know people will just say things because that’s all they have time to do.” Personally, if modeling some teddies required being “very very communicative” with a friend, that’s money I simply don’t need!

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Contrary to Carpenter’s point, I actually don’t have much time to worry whether Carpenter’s friendship with Swift faltered in any way because she chose to collect a Kardashian check. I’m working late…because I’m in a dying industry trying to make rent for a shithole in New York City, etc., etc. What I do have a few minutes for, however, is to wonder why the hell all the girls are doing Skims advertisements. Thanks to a series of celebrities lending their likeness to the brand, the rise in its campaigns’ cache, Vox recently theorized, is now akin to that of a Vogue cover.

This week, Nicola Coughlan, too, joined Carpenter (and the WNBA, Lana Del Rey, Cardi B, and every other celebrity in Hollywood) by starring in her own Skims campaign for $80 cotton dresses. Coughlan, I must note, has been making headlines for her continued calls for support for Palestinians amidst an ongoing genocide.

“We as actors, I think at the moment because I’m in the show and I have a lot of eyes on me, if I can draw attention to that in a little bit of a way and give back a little bit and highlight what’s happening, I’m very happy to do that,” Coughlan recently said at the Bridgerton Season 3, Part II premiere. Frankly, I agree. However, when you choose to appear in the campaign of a billionaire whose only stance on Israel’s atrocities in Gaza has been *checks notes* “free everybody,” that sentiment rings …pretty hollow.

The same goes for Carpenter or anyone else who might pose for the advertisements in the future. I can get behind most people in pursuit of a bag but accepting one from a woman with bad politics and a clothing line with dubious-at-best ethics? Surely, one doesn’t need the check this much.