Review: Kim Kardashian should have left the Marilyn Monroe story and dressed herself

“I was so busy I couldn’t stop thinking whether I wanted to or not.

This is a paraphrase of Jeff Goldblum’s line from the original Jurassic ParkAs your Malcolm reads Sir Richard Attenborough John Hammond on the ethics of dinosaur spawning in the modern world. But that’s the correct statement, which unfortunately applies to many scenarios at the moment: the latest one has rightly pissed off conservatives, fashionistas and classic movie fans. And most of the parties involved stopped talking about it.

“These people are here as guardians to preserve these parts of history, not explore them,” said Chadmike Morissette, creative director and costume specialist who owns West Hollywood-based visual exhibition company Oh Mannequin. “Marilyn Monroe used her entire career to win over other people and take what belonged to her and use it as a publicity stunt as if she was being re-exploited.”

Morissette is one of those people who opposes Kim Kardashian’s decision to wear one of the most famous designs of the 20th century in New York at the May 2 gala: “Happy Birthday, Mr. President”, a dress designed for Monroe. From legendary costume designer Jean-Louis, who rocked a star on May 19, 1962, when he rocked a seductive and outrageous serenade to celebrate John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday at Madison Square Garden. The dress was known for $4.8 million in 2016, a record price for clothing at auction; The buyer was Orlando, Florida-based Ripley Entertainment Holding, which manages Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Attractions from around the world, including the Hollywood location.

She was on the red carpet at the Met Gala that night, spotlighting the annual parade of A-list stars in the usual look dedicated to the Costume Institute’s latest show. In America: an anthology of fashionIt explores the history of American design and continues to 1789 before George Washington’s inaugural coat. In honor of the evening’s theme, co-chair Blake Lively wore an Atelier Versace gown in honor of New York and Alicia Keys. Wearing a luxurious Ralph Lauren cape with beads and embroidery to express the Manhattan skyline.

When Kardashian arrived with Pete Davidson at the final moment of the red carpet, she rocked a dress that was instantly familiar to anyone who loves the intersection of film, pop culture and fashion. Great, I thought Kim had a copy of Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress. Wearing a copy of the most cult women’s dress of the 20th century, the most powerful woman of the early 21st century certainly looked like the perfect expression of American fashion and the evolution of American celebrity.

But rumors that quickly spread in the Met Gala press show that it was not a replica; he was The wear. At the time, I was among the outraged suspects: “No, it’s not possible. It’s part of the story. It can’t be a real dress.” When Kim reached our position on the mat, a photo from a print reporter that included every member of the Associated Press People, asked questions: “Kim, is this a replica? Kim, is this a real dress? Kardashian didn’t say anything as she snapped the photos and walked into the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

His silence broke when the carpet opened a few minutes later: Vogue.com received the exclusive behind-the-scenes story, which was published shortly after Kardashian’s arrival, on the ground hoping that the reality star would wear a historic dress, otherwise too. Also, how to go on a strict diet to lose 16 kg. It will be uploaded in three weeks. This latest development immediately sparked outrage among women who believe crash dieting is not only unhealthy, but also sends a dire message to young women already dealing with delicate bodily issues.

The next day at the Met Gala, everyone involved wanted to talk about how this sensational partnership came about. Kardashian, a Monroe fan, asked Beverly Hills-based Julien’s Auctions, which sold the dress in 2016, to contact Ripley Entertainment executives to find out if she could wear it to the Met Gala. Kardashian received a copy from the Ripley Tailor house shortly after its acquisition in 2016; This dress fit perfectly (and given the new fabric with a little stretch, it was a little baggy), said Amanda Joiner, vice president of licensing and publishing at Ripley Entertainment. But Kardashian wanted to wear real. “Kim is not doing a replica,” Darren Julien, owner and founder of Julien’s Auctions, said when I spoke to him the next day at the Met Gala.

After a series of meetings and negotiations that included inappropriate mandates on body makeup and other details, as well as reported donations to Orlando nonprofits, it was agreed that Kardashian could only wear the dress for a cursory walk. The museum steps, slid into a stall near the entrance to carpet clothes, and then exchanged a copy as soon as it entered the Metropolitan Museum. Still, a fit was needed that didn’t affect the dress itself: Kardashian wore a white thrush that hid the fact that the back of the dress couldn’t be closed completely while her seven-inch heels were from Southern California. Pleaser Shoes (a brand Kardashian wore to other events) meant the train of the dress needed no adjustment.

However, this brief moment sparked outrage among costume experts and historians. Bob Mackey – a cartoonist at the beginning of Jean-Louis’ career and a really responsible costume designer now in a sketch of the legendary dress that already stood out with his work in 1946. Gilda and 1958 Bell, book and candle He said weekly entertainment The decision to let Kardashian wear a royal dress was a “big mistake”. [Monroe]. No one else should be seen in this dress.”

Sarah Scaturo, chief curator of the Cleveland Museum of Art and formerly curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Costume Art Institute, told the recipient about the funds raised at the annual Met Gala. Los Angeles Times He was “disappointed that this violates what is considered professional treatment of historic costume… My concern is that colleagues in historic costume collections are being pressured by important people to wear their clothes.”

Scaturo’s comment is true when considered: If someone besides Kardashian asked you to wear a dress, what would your response be? With 319 million Instagram subscribers, Kardashian ranks 8th among the top performers on this social media platform, a list that includes football star Cristiano Ronaldo with 455 million subscribers and Kardashian’s own sister Kylie Jenner, who currently has 349 million subscribers. Megawatt Family Reality Show, kardashianWhat happened in April was what Disney-owned Hulu hailed as the debut of its biggest TV series in U.S. history (the streamer doesn’t release official viewership figures, in line with Disney policy).

Those numbers sparked a common answer I’ve given to everyone who’s asked me since May 2: Why did someone give Kim the right to wear this historic dress? “Because no one between the ages of 12 and 50 has ever heard of Ripley believing that,” I tell them. But everyone knows Kim Kardashian. Power is through currency ratings or social media, an idea that anyone in Hollywood will endorse, and even the right person can buy into the opportunity to wear historic clothing that should never go beyond the mood of a screen. Box or basement.

Currently the dress is damaged. Morissette, who personally oversaw the dress show in 2016 when Julien’s sold it, was the first to notice the differences in outfits that year and when she saw it on Sunday, June 12, at Ripley’s Believe in Hollywood. That or not! “I remember that day exactly because it was my birthday,” explains Morissette, who was also on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles with her friends and went to Ripley’s to see the dress for the first time in six years. . Before leaving, she photographed a dress that was pictured in a glass case to be seen from all angles. Kardashian’s shoes are also part of the exhibition.

The new wound, Morissette said, appeared instantly. “The lower back shows a lack of stretch marks and beads, the back of the left shoulder girdle appears to be damaged and on the front of the knees there is a trace of tension in the fabric, likely from Kim’s stepping up. . He mentions a dress that was sewn in 1962 from a very delicate silk suede fabric, which has since been discontinued, also because it proved to be highly flammable. “The stuff is gone, how can I fix it? The dress will never be the same again. ”

Ripley Entertainment has denied allegations that Kardashian damaged the dress, issuing a statement on Thursday saying that “a report on the condition of the dress in early 2017 indicates that “many stitches are stretched and frayed. No wonder the material is delicate. Among other cases of injuries, there is tingling in the back with hooks and eyes. Joyner, who was in the dress every second on May 2, added in a statement: It’s started.

These are the only comments that have circulated about the dress since questions arose about the injury. When Kardashian was asked to comment on the dress, her staff declined, and the Metro Museum Costume Institute, which has a collection of over 33,000 items, including a “seventh century fashion dress”, also posted a short “No Comment”. . The Museum of Cinematography also declined to comment on works that are not part of its collection.

But Scott Fortner, a Monroe historian and owner of what is listed on his website as “the world’s largest private collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia,” opined on the controversy. On Thursday, she posted photos of the back of the dress on Instagram (“Next” among photos taken by Morissette, adding, “If the 2016 dress photo is irrelevant, then so is it. .” .

Check out this Instagram post

Post shared by The Marilyn Monroe Collection (@marilynmonroecollection)

Kardashian hasn’t posted anything about Monroe’s dress since Met Gala week, when she said she was “eternally grateful” for the opportunity to wear it; he also spent the week lengthening the story and fueling the news cycle, after which she published posts soon after. later. She wore Monroe’s second original to the Met Party after party (there is no information on the current status of this dress). Several parties at the time also said that Kardashian wanted to wear a dress to express her true love for Monroe, but sometimes if you really love something, especially an item that is equally historic, valuable, and delicate, it’s not. The best decision. Are you excited from afar and just left? But this was not a choice; Wanting to do something that had never been done before, borrowing a legendary dress worn only by a bona fide screen icon, was a priority. And it must be said: it seems to be a decision caused by ego and not by love.

In fact, while the debate continues over when the damage to the dress occurred, the main question remains: Kardashian was so worried about whether she could wear a real dress if she would stop thinking about it. He must Dress this part of 20th century history? This is a question that deserves an answer. But, unfortunately, few want to continue discussing this topic.