In case you missed it, Kim Kardashian the late Marilyn Monroe’s gown to the 2022 Met Gala. Of course, she looked stunning in the gold crystal-covered gown, also known as the “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, but there’s been some controversy on whether or not she should’ve worn in.
Kardashian made a statement that in order to wear the gown, she lost 16 pounds just three weeks before the event by extreme dieting and exercising. “I would wear a sauna suit twice a day, run on the treadmill, completely cut out all sugar and all carbs, and just eat the cleanest veggies and protein,” she told Vogue. “I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.”
Kardashian did wind up changing out of the dress, and really only wore it for a few photos at the beginning of the event as a sign of respect. “I’m extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history. 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,” Kardashian said. “Everything had to be specifically timed and I had to practice walking up the stairs.”
However, the costume designer who sketched the infamous dress, Bob Mackie, now 82, says it was a huge mistake for Kardashian to rewear it.
“I thought it was a big mistake,” Mackie told Entertainment Weekly. “[Marilyn] was a goddess. A crazy goddess, but a goddess. She was just fabulous. Nobody photographs like that. And it was done for her. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress.”
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Mackie drew the dress in 1962 for Jean Louis, who fashioned the dress. Monroe then wore it to president-at-the-time, John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday. Monroe then died less than three months later.
Additionally, many others had some issues with Kardashian wearing the dress.
“Such an iconic piece of American history should not be put at risk of damage just for an ego-boost and photo-op,” said Dr. Justine De Young, professor of fashion history at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Monroe historian and collector Scott Fortner said that Monroe’s dress “fit her perfectly. The gown worn by anyone else will not be a precise fit. In this case, Kim Kardashian’s measurements are somewhat different than Marilyn’s. It’s logically assumed the fabric and seams were stressed.”
What are your thoughts on Kardashian wearing this dress to the Met Gala?