LOS ANGELES (KNX) – Kim Kardashian sparked backlash once again for wearing Marilyn Monroe’s infamous “Happy Birthday Mr. President” gown to the Met Gala.
This time, a Marilyn Monroe historian is claiming the dress was damaged after Kardashian wore it.
Scott Fortner, who runs the Marilyn Monroe Collection (which is one of the largest, privately-held collections on Monroe memorabilia) posted a before and after of dress on Instagram.
“Just in case you missed it… Missing crystals, and some left hanging by a thread,” the post was captioned, adding that ChadMichael Morrisette shared the photo with the account.
Morrisette told PEOPLE Magazine that he went to see the dress at Ripley's in Hollywood on Sunday when he noticed the damage. He also said his company, Oh Mannequin!, collaborated with Julien's Auctions when Julien's sold it in 2016.
"I know this dress, and the damage is so apparent," he told the magazine. "I left Ripley's in tears. I ran out with my hand over my mouth, holding back the tears, because I could not believe the damage that they allowed to happen for a publicity stunt."
The museum chain bought the dress from Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles for a record-breaking $4.8 million.
The dress was worn by Monroe in 1962 when she infamously sang “Happy Birthday” to then-President John F. Kennedy. It was designed by Bob Mackie for Hollywood costume designer Jean-Louis, according to Vogue.
The magazine also reported the dress was flown to Kardashian’ California home from Orlando, Florida for a fitting. Kardashian, who said she dropped weight to wear the gown, only wore it on the carpet before changing into a replica.
Both Kardashian and the museum sparked backlash on social media, with many claiming it should’ve stayed in the museum.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not defended both their decision to let Kardashian borrow the dress as the well as the dress’ condition in a post on Instagram. The museum cited a 2017 report of the dress’ condition that “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.”
Ripley’s also said, “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Is a privately-owned attraction company and the dress was sold a t a public auction. The dress could have been locked away in a private collection, unable to tell its story. Instead, it has toured multiple Ripley’s attractions around the world and has been introduced to a new generation thanks to this Met Gala moment.”
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Related
Related
