When Kim Kardashian was envisioning how she would embody this 12 months's Met Gala theme in her wardrobe, she had one query in thoughts: "What's essentially the most American factor you may consider?" And when she stepped onto the crimson carpet on Monday evening with platinum blonde hair and a blinding 60-year-old crystal-covered costume, she revealed her reply: Marilyn Monroe.
In embracing this 12 months's theme of "In America: An Anthology of Trend," Kardashian wore the precise costume that Monroe did when she sang "Blissful Birthday" to John F. Kennedy for his forty fifth birthday in 1962. Monroe's iconic costume, initially purchased for an estimated $1,440, was bought for $4.8. million at an public sale in 2016 and is at present maintained by Ripley's Imagine It Or Not Museum, in keeping with Vogue.
The robe is now valued at greater than $10 million, in keeping with Ripley's.
"I'm so honored," Kardashian wrote on Instagram. "...It's a gorgeous skintight robe adorned with greater than 6,000 hand-sewn crystals by costumier Jean Louis. Thanks Ripley's Imagine It or Not! for giving me the chance to debut this evocative piece of vogue historical past for the primary time because the late Marilyn Monroe wore it. I'm ceaselessly grateful for this second."
However getting the costume – and ensuring it might work for the crimson carpet – was no simple feat, Kardashian advised Vogue. The multi-million greenback costume has not been worn by anybody since Monroe and is stored in a temperature-controlled vault. The costume couldn't be altered, so it might solely work if it match her as-is.
When it got here time for the ball, she needed to placed on the robe in a small becoming room by the Met Gala steps to make sure there was as little time as potential for a spill or error to happen. On the steps, a Ripley's conservationist sporting white gloves helped her costume.
"I am extraordinarily respectful to the costume and what it means to American historical past," Kardashian stated. "I might by no means need to sit in it or eat in it or have any danger of injury to it and I will not be sporting the type of physique make-up I often do."
And when she debuted the costume on the crimson carpet, it was just for a couple of minutes. As quickly as she acquired up the steps, she turned into a reproduction of the costume that can also be owned by Ripley's. The costume, in keeping with Vogue, was one among three of Monroe's clothes that Kardashian wore to the Met.
Ripley's says on its web site that they "strongly really feel that this costume is essentially the most well-known merchandise of clothes from twentieth century tradition."
"With each political and popular culture significance, Monroe's costume tells a story and has its personal mythos filled with unbelievable tales," the web site says. "Ripley's Imagine It or Not! Odditoriums invite visitors in to see and expertise issues they might by no means see elsewhere, and this costume goes above and past."
The costume will likely be on show at Ripley's Imagine It or Not! Hollywood starting Memorial Day weekend.
