Kim Kardashian is convinced that she has played a pivotal role in helping elevate Marilyn Monroe's relevancy in the 21st century. However, ex-wife Kanye West face criticism for donning the iconic dress worn by the legendary icon for JFK's birthday in 1962 at the 2022 Met Gala.
Many people even thought that she damaged the dress within 4 minutes on the red carpet.
Kim lost 16 pounds in three weeks wearing the dress. She also faced more criticism after a video showed people pressing her bum into a skirt, which was later reported to have been damaged.
However, the reality star sparked huge controversy, saying the moment she donned a Marilyn Monroe dress, she helped educate a whole generation of young people who had no idea who the blonde beauty was.
In a Today interview, Kim Kardashian shared that: "That was the most shocking thing to me and that's why I was so happy to at least have that opportunity and that Ripley's gave me the opportunity to share this moment so that it could live on."
Kim added: "I respect her and I understand how much this dress means to American history. With the theme being American, I thought what is more American than Marilyn Monroe singing 'Happy Birthday' to the president of the United States."
She continues: "It was such a process. I showed up on the red carpet in a robe and slippers. I put the dress on on the bottom of the carpet, went up the stairs, I probably had it on for four minutes and then I changed right at the top of the stairs.'
However, Dr. Justin DeYoung, a professor of fashion history at the Fashion Institute of Technology, told People that Kardashian's look was "irresponsible and unnecessary."
Kim Kardashian's critics argue that she had no authority to remove the dress from Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum and wear it briefly, as it is widely considered a historical artifact that should be preserved.
Collector Scott Fortner and creative director Chad Michael Morrissett have accused Kim Kardashian of ruining Marilyn Monroe's dress. He compared Kim's before and after designs of the dress she wore at the Met Gala and found that the fabric had frayed and lost many of its crystals.
After that, Kim Kardashian refuted any claims of damaging Marilyn Monroe's dress. "No. [Ripley's and I] worked together so well. There were handlers and gloves that put it on me."
Shortly after, Ripley issued a statement denying that Kardashian had damaged the dress. "When the gold returned it, the design was still in its original condition," Amanda Joiner, the company's vice president, told People.
Watching the video below:
