While Kim Kardashian's request to wear Marilyn Monroe's dress to the 2022 Met Gala was originally denied, the Skims designer did, in fact, arrive on the red carpet in the sparkling gown. Now, new images are circulating that show before-and-after shots of the garment, where there appears to be pulling at the seams and significant damage. Shared by creative director and display artist ChadMichael Morrisette, the pictures are sparking reactions on Twitter, reigniting the controversy surrounding Kardashian's decision to wear the historic garment.
Several people are demanding that Ripley's take responsibility for the mishandling of the dress. Amanda Joiner, vice president of licensing and publishing at Ripley Entertainment, oversaw the process, and told the Daily Beast that a lot of time and thought went into the preservation of the dress. "We basically had many conversations with Kim and her team and put a lot of requirements in place with security and with the handling of the dress," she said. "The dress was never with Kim alone. It was always with a Ripley's representative. We always ensured that at any time we felt that the dress was in danger of ripping or we felt uncomfortable about anything, we always had the ability to be able to say we were not going to continue with this."
Kardashian, 41, even changed into a replica of the dress for the reception at the Met Gala to avoid further damage, after walking the red carpet in the original gown. Nonetheless, it appears that the fabric was still severely damaged and sequins fell off the garment, as evidenced by photos posted by The Marilyn Monroe Collection on Instagram.
The $12,000 Jean Louis gown was purchased by Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum from Julien's Auction for $4.81 million in November 2016. It was originally worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962.
Designer Bob Mackie, who drew the sketch for the original dress, spoke out against Kardashian wearing it. "I thought it was a big mistake," he told EW in May. "And it was done for [Marilyn Monroe]. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress."
This isn't the only controversy surrounding Kardashian's Met Gala appearance. The reality TV star also came under fire for making comments about her unhealthy weight loss plan to fit into the design. Kardashian later defended herself in an interview with The New York Times, referencing actors Christian Bale and Renée Zellweger, who either lost or gained weight for movie roles.
Ahead, scroll to see Twitter reactions to the before-and-after photos, as well as pictures of Kim Kardashian's controversial appearance in the dress.