The owner of the infamous Marilyn Monroe dress has denied that Kim Kardashian damaged it when she wore it to this year's Met Gala.
Of course, the iconic gown is worth millions, with dress owner Ripley Entertainment paying $5 million to acquire it in 2016. Yet after Kim Kardashian wore it for just a matter of minutes to this year's Met Gala, she was accused by collectors of damaging the unique dress after leaving it 'hanging by a thread'.
After a series of photos emerged showing the gown before and after, it 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.
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As a result of the photos, Kim has received heavy criticism over her decision to wear the bespoke gown.
But now, Ripley's Believe It or Not! have addressed the backlash and have rushed to Kim's defence.
In a statement released on Thursday, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! said it 'can say with confidence' that Kim did not 'cause damage' to various parts of gown which have recently been brought into question by fans. The statement came as images of the dress before and after the 41-year-old star wore it have come to light.
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Ripley's went on to add that the damage to the stitching and crystals had happened prior to Kim wearing the dress, although they did not address the tear to the strap in their most recent statement.
In a comment to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Ripley's added that they were fears over the 'the fragility of the strap prior to the Gala'.
There has still not been confirmation of if Kim was the one who ripped the strap or not.
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In the statement posted on its website, Ripley's wrote: "Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is not the first owner of this dress. It was acquired at a Julien’s Auctions event in 2016 for $4.8 million.
A report written on the dress’s condition in early 2017 states: “A number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes among other instances of damage."
It continued: "The company understands the risks associated with this, but Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has been collecting notable pop-culture memorabilia, historical items, and unbelievable artifacts for over 100 years,' it continued.
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'The fact remains that [Kardashian] did not, in any way, damage the garment in the short amount of time it was worn at the Met Gala."
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, Kardashians, Kim Kardashian
Niamh Spence