Kim Kardashian claims that some people had never even heard of Marilyn Monroe before wearing her dress at this year’s Met Gala.
The reality TV star made headlines earlier this year after she wore the same gown the legendary starlet wore to serenade President Kennedy in 1962 on his birthday.
Many people were infuriated at Kim and Ripley’s Believe It or Not for even allowing her to borrow the iconic garment, much less wear it on the red carpet. Many critics now claim that Kim damaged the dress by wearing it and argues that a historic artifact such as this should never be loaned out to anyone.
However, the beauty mogul defended her decision claiming that by wearing the gown, she was helping a new generation of people learn more about the iconic figure.
During her interview on the Today Show, host Savannah Guthrie questioned the 41-year-old mother of four about her controversial moment, asking:
“We were just talking, you said you were shocked on TikTok, some people don’t even know who Marilyn Monroe was.”
“That was the most shocking thing to me,” Kim replied, adding: “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.”
She continued: “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.”
Marilyn wore her iconic dress during a performance in Madison Square Garden in May 1962, only three months before she died. The garment is considered a priceless piece of history, especially since it had become the most expensive dress ever sold at auction in 2016 when it was purchased for $4.8 million.
Kim also refuted allegations that she damaged the dress when she wore it, saying:
“No. [Ripley’s and I] worked together so well. There were handlers with gloves that put it on me.”
The reality star also explained the lengths she went through to ensure the dress wasn’t damaged:
“It was such a process. I showed up to the red carpet in a robe and slippers. I put the dress on on the bottom of the carpet,” she described, adding: “I probably had it on for four minutes and then I changed right at the top of the stairs.”
Ripley’s also stood by their decision to allow Kardashian to wear the dress, writing:
“Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that.”
The company continued: “No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. An entirely new group of young people has now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe.”
You can watch a report about this story in the video below, including Kim Kardashian’s interview on the Today Show.
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Sources:
- “https://vt.co/entertainment/kim-k-says-some-people-didnt-know-who-marilyn-monroe-was-before-she-wore-her-dress” Vt. Carina Murphy. June 23, 2022.