Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Film and TV, Kim Kardashian, Kardashians, Keeping Up With The Kardashians
Kim Kardashian has been slammed by a Marilyn Monroe collector for allegedly damaging the legend's iconic gown at the Met Gala.
Collector Scott Fortner shared close-up images of Monroe's glittery frock on social media.
"Just in case you missed it - missing crystals, and some left hanging by a thread," he wrote.
“Ripley's Believe It or Not, was it worth it?”
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In the photos, the dress can be seen with several missing crystals and pulled fabric along the zip, which Fortner suggests occurred as a result of Kardashian struggling to fit the gown over her famous assets.
Fortner, a lifelong Monroe enthusiast, claimed in his post that the 'after' photo was taken at Ripley’s Hollywood location on June 12.
Just in case you missed all the hubbub, Marilyn Monroe super-fans were furious after the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore the Hollywood icon's legendary dress to the 2022 Met Gala.
The reality TV star was accused of sullying the 60-year-old beige, sparkly dress that Monroe wore during her 'Happy Birthday' performance to then-President John F. Kennedy back in 1962.
Monroe expert, Michelle Morgan, roasted curators at the Ripley's Believe It Or Not! museum, where the dress was being kept, for allowing Kardashian to don the frock.
"I am extremely disappointed to see this 60-year-old, iconic dress being worn in public," author of The Girl: Marilyn Monroe, the Seven Year Itch, and the Birth of an Unlikely Feminist told The New York Post.
"The gown is extremely fragile and has been previously kept in temperature-controlled conditions, but now here it is, not only being worn, but also in a red carpet environment, where anything could have happened to it."
Morgan added that 'sweat, perfume and makeup' (or pretty much anything) could have come into contact with the dress and caused 'untold damage and staining'.
Former head of the Met’s Costume Institute Sarah Scaturro slammed the Kardashian for even asking to wear the iconic dress.
"I’m frustrated because it sets back what is considered professional treatment for historic costumes,” she told the LA Times.
"In the ‘80s, a bunch of costume professionals came together to state a resolution that historic costumes should not be worn.
"So my worry is that colleagues in historic costume collections are now going to be pressured by important people to let them wear garments."
Ripley's Believe It Or Not, where the dress is kept on display, defended their choice to let the reality star wear the dress in a May 2 press release.
"Great care was taken to preserve this piece of pop culture history. With input from garment conservationists, appraisers, and archivists, the garment’s condition was top priority," the release said.
