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Inside The New SKIMS Chicago Flagship Where a 1960s Bank Becomes a Softly Surreal Vault of Neutrals

Nodding to the building's historical significance, the SKIMS Chicago flagship reimagines it as a vault for 'essentials', combining cultural heritage with modern retail.

Published: May 28, 2026 8:24 AM Updated: Jun 8, 2026 12:32 AM

By Jeanel Alvarado

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Inside The New SKIMS Chicago Flagship Where a 1960s Bank Becomes a Softly Surreal Vault of Neutrals

SKIMS has officially opened its third flagship in the historic Gold Coast in Chicago, transforming a former 1960s bank into its most theatrical retail stage yet. Designed by Rafael de Cárdenas Ltd., the store turns hard, institutional architecture into a sensual, gallery like showcase for the brand’s signature “soft” essentials.

A 1960s bank turned SKIMS flagship The new SKIMS Chicago flagship is located at 1000 North Rush Street in the city’s upscale Gold Coast neighborhood, occupying a two level, roughly 6,500 square foot space inside a former bank built in the 1960s.

Following openings in New York and Los Angeles, this is the brand’s third global flagship, underscoring how SKIMS is extending beyond ecommerce into immersive brick and mortar.

Architecturally, the project balances the building’s original sweeping curves with a rigorous grid of display forms, sharpening the contrast between softness and structure that sits at the heart of SKIMS’ brand identity.

Clean planes, warm neutrals and highly controlled lighting create a backdrop that lets the product palette read almost like a monochrome installation…

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Inside The New SKIMS Chicago Flagship Where a 1960s Bank Becomes a Softly Surreal Vault of Neutrals

Nodding to the building's historical significance, the SKIMS Chicago flagship reimagines it as a vault for 'essentials', combining cultural heritage with modern retail.

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