Kim Kardashian ruffled feathers at the 2022 Met Gala when she hit the museum steps wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress from 1962.
The 41-year-old “Kardashians” star lost 16 pounds in the weeks leading up to the event in order to fit into the historic gown, and she even changed into a duplicate once she arrived at the party since she couldn’t move freely in the original.
“I’m extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history,” she told Vogue ahead of the party. “I would never want to sit in it or eat in it or have any risk of any damage to it and I won’t be wearing the kind of body makeup I usually do.”
However, it appears that simply posing for photos on the red carpet with Pete Davidson — who later bleached his hair platinum blond to match his girlfriend’s Marilyn-inspired locks — may have damaged the “world’s most expensive dress.”
According to Scott Fortner, a private collector, authenticator, and verifier of Monroe memorabilia, the gown has been damaged despite being worn by Kardashian for only a few minutes. He claims that some crystals are gone, others have been “left hanging by a thread,” and the dress is stretched and deformed, citing recent images of the outfit.
Fortner shared photos on social media, showing “before” and “after” views side by side to emphasize the “severe” damage.
He has also included video footage he took of the gown in 2016 for comparison.
“So much for keeping ‘the integrity of the dress and the preservation.’ @ripleysbelieveitornot, was it worth it?” Forner asked on Instagram.
Monroe wore the translucent, crystal-covered dress made by fashion designer Bob Mackie to John F Kennedy’s 45th birthday party in 1962, where she famously sang Happy Birthday Mr. President.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum in Orlando lent the gown to Kardashian for this year’s Met Gala. The garment was designed to complement the theme, America: An Anthology of Fashion, and it seemed fitting that a modern-day sex icon like Kardashian would pay respect to Monroe.
Ripley’s decision to give Kardashian the dress sparked outrage among fashion curators and historians, who warned that if it was worn by anyone, it would be ruined. The judgment was criticized by the International Council of Museums.
“Historic garments should not be worn by anybody, public or private figures,” they said in a statement in May.
Kim had already sparked controversy when she claimed she had to lose 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the gown by cutting out sugar and carbs from her diet and sticking to a strict gym routine.
For the Met Gala, however, The Kardashian controversially wore the gown to climb the steps, before changing into a replica inside. She accessorized it with a white fur stole to disguise the fact she was unable to do up the zip at the back.
Apparently the-41-year-old discovered the gown was too small for her at a fitting a month before the event. “I wanted to cry when it didn’t fit because it couldn’t be altered at all,” she said.
Kardashian has not yet responded to claims that she damaged the dress, but the internet has erupted in anger at her and Ripley over the alleged desecration.
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Sources: Dailywire, Usmagazine, Rollingstone