Photos Appear to Show That Kim Kardashian Damaged Marilyn Monroe's Famous 1962 Dress
© AP Photo / Cecil Stoughton
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The iconic piece of 1960s fashion art became famous after the legendary sex symbol of Hollywood's golden era wore the dress during her rendition of "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
The vintage garment previously worn by Marilyn Monroe that Kim Kardashian displayed at the 2022 Met Gala appears to have been damaged after its night out, media reported, citing Monroe's legacy enthusiasts.
On Monday, the Marilyn Monroe Collection Instagram* account compared photos of what's believed to be the same dress before - when it was still hanging in a museum - and after the 41-year-old "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star wore it last month. The garment appeared to be "missing" a few crystals, according to the post, with others apparently "hanging by a thread."
Kardashian promised not to modify the garment and instead transformed herself, according to the New York Post. She claimed later she had to lose some 16 pounds (7.2 kg) in three weeks in order to fit into the dress.
She eventually got it over her famous derriere, but she could not zip it, which is why she covered herself on the carpet in a white fur shawl.
"I tried it on and it didn’t fit me," Kardashian reportedly said on the red carpet. "It was such a challenge. It was like a role, I was determined to fit in it."
Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress has reportedly been damaged after being worn by Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala.
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 13, 2022
The dress now shows signs of tearing, and several crystals are either missing or hanging off of it. pic.twitter.com/cFu1lUBmzS
Some social media users recalled a video of the alleged Kardashian dress fitting, and the assistants in it are clearly having difficulty putting the historical artifact on America's most fashionable socialite.
Oh my gosh pic.twitter.com/8MgGrV43TP
— Stan upppppp!! (@her_khumalo) May 4, 2022
But nevertheless, Kardashian took the cherished photos and was very pleased with herself, judging by the posts on her accounts.
In early May, Kardashian told Vogue magazine that the dress was brought to her by private jet with guards, and she had to go through a serious fitness regimen to fit into the dress.
"I always thought she was extremely curvy. I imagined I might be smaller in some places where she was bigger and bigger in places where she was smaller. So when it didn't fit me I wanted to cry because it can't be altered at all," she said back then.
The dress was purchased for $4.8 million by Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando in 2016, according to the NYP. The overall cost, including taxes and fees, was nearly $5 million. The piece is considered to be the "world’s most expensive dress" ever sold at an auction, according to Ripley's. The opulent garment is now worth more than $10 million.
Monroe's dress was only worn for a few minutes by Kim on the day of the Met Gala. She reportedly put on the gown in a dressing room near the Met Gala carpet and changed into a replica gown as soon as she reached the top of the stairs.
Some experts and collectors have reportedly reprimanded Kardashian for wearing the 60-year-old gown, claiming it is fragile and that substances like sweat, perfume, and makeup might have gotten into the garment and caused some damage.
Multiple social media users were also, to put it mildly, not delighted Kardashian chose to wear the original dress, citing its historical value and respect for the memory of the late actress, who died in August 1962.
the "it's a dress" brigade camping out in the quote tweets, like clockwork pic.twitter.com/7pqp6GuJbd
— bethany (@fiImgal) June 13, 2022
Marilyn right now: pic.twitter.com/0PTlRdGP1Z
— criss (@comoasivos) May 3, 2022
Last month, a Ripley's spokesperson reportedly claimed that Kardashian had treated the outfit with the "utmost respect," adding that "no damage" was done to it.
