Marilyn Monroe dress allegedly damaged after Kim Kardashian Met Gala outing

Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress was controversial enough. Now, there’s a new allegation about the state of it afterwards.

Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world. Give her the wrong dress, and she may just enrage millions.

Kim Kardashian ruffled feathers at the 2022 Met Gala when she hit the museum steps wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr President” dress dating from 1962.

The Kardashians star, 41, notably dropped 7kg ahead of the event in order to squeeze into the historic gown, and even changed into a replica once she got to the entrance of the party, as she was unable to move freely in the original, New York Post reports.

“I’m extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history,” she told Vogue ahead of the party. “I would never want to sit in it or eat in it or have any risk of any damage to it and I won’t be wearing the kind of body makeup I usually do.”

But new allegations suggest she may have damaged the iconic gown, regardless.

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Kardashian’s ability to wear the historical dress caused plenty of outrage. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Marilyn Monroe famously wore it while singing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy. Picture: Cecil Stoughton/White House Photographs, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum via AP

Despite the fact Kardashian only wore the dress while posing for photos on the red carpet with boyfriend Pete Davidson – who later dyed his hair platinum blond to match his girlfriend’s Marilyn-inspired locks – there are now allegations that the reality star may have caused damage to the “world’s most expensive dress”.

Kardashian posed with boyfriend Pete Davidson on the red carpet at the Met Gala. Picture: Cindy Ord/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

On Monday, Pop Culture posted side-by-side photos of the gown, allegedly from before and after Kardashian wore it to the Met. One of the snaps shows signs of stretched fabric and missing crystals, particularly around the dress’ back closure.

Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress has reportedly been damaged after being worn by Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala.

The dress now shows signs of tearing, and several crystals are either missing or hanging off of it. pic.twitter.com/cFu1lUBmzS

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 13, 2022

“Kim should have never worn that dress to begin with. I mean yes it’s nice to pay homage to Marilyn but she could have had a new dress made and replicated. This was a timeless and iconic artefact that’s been ruined,” one person tweeted in response.

“Leave it to Kim to destroy a historical piece of art,” another said.

A third wrote: “Congratulations to the Met Gala for showcasing a real-life example of why a conservation department like the Costume Institute is necessary for historically significant garments.”

While some experts were “disappointed” to see Kardashian in Monroe’s “extremely fragile” gown at the Met, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum, which loaned the frock to the star and is currently displaying the garment at its Hollywood location, previously told the Post that precautions were taken to prevent any possible damage.

“This was no easy decision for Ripley’s, however, Kim Kardashian has continued to show the utmost respect for this opportunity and historic garment,” the museum said in a post-gala statement. “From extensive research to following guidelines such as no body makeup, only wearing the dress for the short red-carpet appearance, and making absolutely no alterations, she has become a steward – and added to – its history.”

At the time, the museum also noted that “no damage” had occurred to the garment.

A Ripley’s representative did not immediately respond to Page Six Style’s request for comment on the new photos.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Marilyn Monroe dress allegedly damaged after Kim Kardashian Met Gala outing