21 Oct, 2023 ON THIS DAY
Whether it is her reality TV show, numerous fragrances, acting credits, or the infamous sex tape, the world has been living the Kardashian fantasy since 2007. Day after day, we are blessed with Kim Kardashian fashion lewks, and we are not complaining. Kimberly has irrefutably set herself apart via the ICONIC fashion moments on the carpet. She has undergone a style transformation through the years. From voluptuous gowns to minimal dresses; chunky jewelry to bracelets; paillettes to velvets; she has done it all and continues to reinvent.
Started as a socialite and now she’s here! We are all familiar with Kim K’s life. It goes without saying how easily we binge-watched all 20 seasons of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians (KUWTK)’ and are currently hooked on ‘The Kardashians’. Kim Kardashian is a true entrepreneur, who achieved fame and success through sheer dedication towards the concept. While some might label her as an opportunist, we do not necessarily see it as a horrendous act.
Even though Kris Jenner is the matriarch of the family, launching the career of her children, Kim Kardashian is the true matriarch of the family, propelling her family to a career in the entertainment industry. Since then, she has undoubtedly colonised the worlds of fashion, finance, and beauty.
The Making of the Kim Kardashian Brand
Kim Kardashian was born on 21 October 1980. In 1996, she began working at a local LA clothing store, ‘Body’, a job she held till 2000. Soon, she started working as the personal stylist for the singer-songwriter Brandy Norwood. By 2006, she signed on as a personal stylist for a close friend, Paris Hilton. Y2K was Paris – she had perfumes, music, and of course a reality show. Being a confidante, Kardashian became the most significant facade of Hilton’s life. The two were often photographed together at the glittering parties of the influential Hollywood.
Her presence at these parties was a stepping stone to E!’s most successful franchise to date. Ahead of the KUWTK premiere, she found herself in the middle of controversy. February 2007 saw the leak of Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, one she made with Norwood’s brother, Ray J during her time as the former’s stylist. As you can imagine, the tape was popular; who wouldn’t wish to see what goes on behind closed doors of such an affluent celebrity?
Enter the set – Vivid Entertainment. The pornographic production company marketed the video as Kim Kardashian: Superstar. But Kim was not letting them off easy. After a rather quick legal battle, Kardashian settled for USD 5 million, outside the court. Keeping Up with the Kardashians soon came up and glued the global audiences to their TV sets. We had to keep up with the lucrative lifestyles of Kim and her siblings. The fandom demanded more and so E! blessed them with even more content. However, none was as successful as the main show, which ran for 20 seasons.
Her ‘celebutante’ status is seldom deemed as a reprehensible ‘famous for being famous’ status. At the time, even we would have agreed but not anymore. Her popularity paved the way for magazine covers, photo shoots, grand openings, and as is the case, paparazzi. She was not a novice at the game and she tackled it well. She did a few movies here and there, and won the Razzies for Worst Supporting Actress for ‘Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor’. She also did a few TV shows, although mostly as a high parody of herself.
These few media moments were just a speck in her long-lasting career, and practically worthless to notice. But no publicity was bad publicity for Kim Kardashian. This is evident in the “hoax?” wedding with Kris Humphries. After splitting with Humphries, she began dating rapper Kanye West. By that time, she had settled as a high-profile celebrity, rivalling Kanye’s stardom. She was engaged on her 33rd birthday and married him a year later on 24 May. The wedding was spectacular. Essentially a colossal Hollywood cameo, it can still give any Royal Wedding a run for its money.
In 2010, Madame Tussauds unveiled her wax figure. Astonishing? Not really. Owing to her growing fame, it makes sense. She has since dabbled in perfumes, co-wrote New York Times Bestselling books, more TV, more films, mobile games, music, KKW Beauty, and Skims. Throughout these years, Kim Kardashian’s popularity only grew, never once displaying signs of fading.
She might not be an actress, but she has come a long way. In 2021, she was invited to host Saturday Night Live (SNL). Her previous credits dictated that she would fail, which was another reason for the restless waiting. The episode came out and the positive critiques came pouring in. Nobody would have expected Kim to deliver the way she did. If we are being honest, she wasn’t the greatest, but she wasn’t bad either, which is a big change on her part.
This sudden knowledge spread like wildfire until it reached Ryan Murphy. Impressed, he cast her to co-lead the twelfth season of his hit franchise, ‘American Horror Story’, titled Delicate. It was Kim Kardashian’s first scripted show, and she is a powerhouse. We must admit, her character, PR personnel, Siobhan Corbyn feels like a nod to our favorite ‘momager’ Kris Jenner. But that’s not all, it borrows heavily on significant moments of the Kardashian family – Monroegate, cucumber-gate, we absolutely love these subtle references!
Kim Kardashian Fashion
Kim Kardashian has been working as a personal stylist since her late teens. It was only after her rise to stardom, did she officially quit. This does not mean she severed ties with the world of fashion. On the contrary, ‘Paper’ covers, Met Galas, and frequent red carpets were crucial for her to continuously reinvent and put forth another successful fashion venture in the form of Skims. We think it’s time we talk about the hot topic here – Kim Kardashian Fashion Moments.
Met Gala – Duh!
It’s 2023, and we cannot imagine another Met Gala without our favourite Kardashian sister – Kimberly. Kim Kardashian has become a staple at Met Gala. Despite a rocky start, she manoeuvred the designers to realize her vision. Now, we are excited to see what and who she will wear next. Always on the theme, Kardashian supplies her fashionista nuances to her dresses. But more than the gorgeous gowns and beadings, her attitude slays. You must also remember the famous Monroegate, god knows we cannot stop raving about it. Our only request – Kim Kardashian’s stylists’ contact info.
Maternity Looks
We love to see baby bumps on the carpet. While most celebrities have resigned to the comforts of home during pregnancy, Kim Kardashian considers it the big guns. She debuted her bump at the 2013 Met Gala wearing Givenchy. The dress was designed by Riccardo Tisci. It is a floral gown with a thigh-high slit and a high neckline, complete with gloves on a stretchy fabric.
For her second pregnancy, she took it a step further. While attending the 2015 LACMA Art + Film Gala, she stunned the paparazzi wearing a black lace bodysuit, a matching blazer and a glittering ‘chonky’ choker. She added a burgundy lip to her makeup, enthralling the audience.
Slaying with Street Chic!
The best Kim Kardashian fashion moments are not presented on the carpets, but the street. Kim understands the importance of being comfortable but also looking good, every second of your existence. Captured in 2017, she wore a satin corset and black jogger pants. The look came together with black-heeled boots. Winter is coming! But not everybody is suited for it. She also donned a brown fur coat to beat the February NYC chills.
Photographed in 2022 LA, she owned biker chic. Designed by Balenciaga, this look upgrades the biker essentials. It featured a padded leather jacket with the house’s logo, leather gloves, pointy boots and silver sunglasses.
The More Body, the Better
Earlier in her career, critics dismissed her as a body girl with a pretty face. But this streak of body positivity and body inclusivity had us hooked from day one. She has never shied away from utilizing every inch of her supple body. As is the case with the 2019 Hollywood Beauty Awards in Los Angeles. She donned a vintage 1989 Thierry Mugler original. The dress had strategic criss-cross cutouts placed on the bodice and included a thigh-high slit.
Talking about body, Kim Kardashian bared it all, in theory for her 2019 Met Gala look. Thierry Mugler came out of retirement to design this ‘wet girl’ look. She wore skin-tight latex with beads, representing the ocean drops. Her bronzed makeup and wet hair are a testament to her dedication to cohesiveness.
Covered from Head to Toe
When she entered the 2019 Met Gala, we could quickly see her departure from the ‘Quintessential Kim Kardashian Fashion’. While known for her bodacious style, Kimberly wore an all-black ensemble, covering every part of her body, even her face. You could still see her curves in the skin-tight long-sleeved turtleneck jumpsuit. She added an oversized t-shirt dress and pleated trains to this dress. The dress was designed by Balenciaga. The only visible part? The unforgettable black ponytail. It hit the ground and suffice to say, swept everyone off their feet.
Balenciaga dressed her again for her 2021 SNl debut in a pink velvet bodysuit, using elements from Skims. She traded the velvet for yet another pink bodysuit with built-in boots, albeit pairing it with a ruffled coat for the afterparty.
She rocked a neon-blue bodycon dress for the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars party. The gown had built-in gloves. She contrasted it with silver-rimmed sunglasses and black boots.
No doubt, the Kardashian family is an unformidable force, but Kim Kardashian is no less. She has branched out to carve a name for herself in the world of fashion. The world is obsessed with Kim Kardashian fashion styles and tries to replicate them. Through every step of her career, Kardashian has strived to reinvent the wheel, and successfully done so. She has worked with all the famous designers and fashion houses – Mugler, Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren, and Yves Saint Laurent, to name a few. Whether it is her street-style chic or carpet glory, it’s enchanting nonetheless.
Photo Courtesy – Associated Press
Hi Ya’ll !!
I love writing about pop culture and all things queer.
Sub Editor at Abir Pothi
