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All the times Kim Kardashian channeled Marilyn Monroe as fans accuse her of ‘copying’ iconic actress
THIS year has seen Kim Kardashian repeatedly channel Marilyn Monroe.
But her controversial Met Gala look in May was not the first time that the reality star has taken inspiration from the late Hollywood actress.
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Let’s take a look at every time Kim, 41, saw Marilyn as her muse.
STARTING TO PREFER BLONDE
Kim’s first bold display of Marilyn fandom came in 2015 when she posed for the cover of Vogue Brazil.
She had recently dyed her hair platinum blonde for Paris Fashion Week, and posed leaning on a bed for a boudoir-themed shoot in Malibu, California.
The issue was accompanied by a promotional video that showed her posing to her then-husband Kanye West’s song All Day.
Inside the magazine, Kim went topless wearing nothing but a pair of black gloves and semi-sheer tights.
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The images channelled Marilyn’s famous sex appeal - the late actress even posed topless herself before finding silver screen fame.
Vogue Brazil described Kim as “the best representative of the curvilinear silhouette rising on the red carpets nowadays.”
THE KING AND QUEEN OF POP
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But Kim isn’t the only mega-star to have found tremendous inspiration from Marilyn.
Madonna has been known for her pin-up looks throughout the decades.
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In 2017, Kim channeled Marilyn via Madonna with her and Kourtney Kardashian’s matching Halloween outfits.
The sisters copied Madonna and Michael Jackson’s looks for the 1991 Academy Awards.
While Kourtney dressed as the King of Pop, Kim wore a platinum blonde wing, a sequinned white gown, and a fur shawl.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star emphasised the old Hollywood glamor of the Like a Virgin singer’s Marilyn era with her Halloween tribute.
HAVE WE MET BEFORE?
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For the 2022 Met Gala, Kim attempted one of her most controversial outfits of all time.
Following weeks of speculation, she stunned the showbiz world when she walked the red carpet wearing Marilyn's $5m dress, which she had borrowed from Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
The gown is so famous and so valuable because it was worn by the actress when she sang Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Gardens in 1962.
The piece, designed by Jean Louis, was custom-made for Marilyn’s signature curves.
Kim revealed to that she had to lose 16 pounds in three weeks so she could fit into it.
She completed the aesthetic tribute by bleaching her hair peroxide blonde.
Kim was joined on the red carpet by her then-boyfriend Pete Davidson, who also looked suitably sixties in a slim suit and tie.
But not everyone was a fan of Kim’s Marilyn tribute.
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Fans slammed her as a “bad copycat” and complained “she doesn’t hold a candle to Marilyn.”
The Hulu star was also accused of ruining the famous dress after photos emerged online showing damage.
However, Ripley’s later came out in Kim’s defence with an online statement.
“From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in,” said Amanda Joiner, Ripley's VP of Publishing and Licensing.
The museum clarified that the dress had existing damage when it was purchased at auction in 2016 for $4.8m.
CIAO, KIM
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Since the controversial Met Gala stunt, Kim has continued to wear her hair blonde, telling in August: “Blondes definitely have more fun”.
Recently, she’s been flaunting a 60s inspired look as she releases the spring/summer 2023 collection with Dolce & Gabbana.
In one promotional video, she showed off a curled bob hairstyle akin to the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes icon.
Kim parodied the fever of Marilyn’s dizzying fame as the clip showed her mobbed by paparazzi while in the back of a limousine.
Spotted in Milan for the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, Kim has continued to sport her retro-inspired hairstyle and figure-hugging bodycon dresses reminiscent of Marilyn’s famous head-turning outfits.
describes the SKIMS boss as “the contemporary diva and the ultimate muse”.
However, fans have complained that she “did not learn her lesson” in channelling Marilyn following the controversy of her Met Gala look.
"She’ll never be Marilyn because Marilyn is Marilyn Monroe," complained one on social media.
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Kim’s platinum blonde era could soon be over, after she hinted to Interview magazine that she will return to her recognisable brunette hair in the fall.
“I am keeping it for a little bit. I feel like in the fall I’ll go dark, just because I don’t want to damage my hair,” she said.
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