Marilyn Munroe's dress appears damaged after Kim wore it
THE Jean Louis dress Marilyn Munroe wore in 1962 to sing "Happy Birthday" to John F. Kennedy appears to have been damaged after Kim Kardashian wore it to the 2022 Met Gala.
The @marilynmonroecollection Instagram account shared photos of the dress—before and after Kardashian wore it.
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In the photo reportedly taken after, the dress shows tearing with several crystals either missing or hanging. The material also appears to be stretched.
When Kardashian first tried on the dress, it didn't fit her. In attempt to wear the iconic gown, the reality star revealed she lost 16 pounds in three weeks.
Kim Kardashian at the 2022 Met Gala held in May this year
However, she only wore Monroe's dress up the Met Gala stairs for a few minutes before changing into a replica.
"Great care was taken to preserve this piece of pop culture history," Ripley's Believe It or Not! said in a press release in May.
"With input from garment conservationists, appraisers, and archivists, the garment’s condition was top priority.
"Believe It or Not! no alterations were to be made to the dress and Kim even changed into a replica after the red carpet!"
“Historic garments should not be worn by anybody, public or private figures,” the organisation said in a statement following the uproar. “Prevention is better than cure. Wrong treatment will destroy an object forever.”
Also included are guidelines not to expose such garments to high levels of light, including to flash photography. Whether these stringent rules will dissuade those able to access historic garments from wearing them is yet to be seen.