June 18, (THEWILL) – Ripley’s Believe It or Not, owners of the iconic Marilyn Monroe’s Happy Birthday dress, have debunked claims that Kim Kardashian damaged the dress after wearing it to the 2022 Met Gala.
A Marilyn Monroe collector, Scott Fortner, had earlier claimed that there was permanent damage on the dress, which Monroe wore on the 45th birthday of John F. Kennedy.
Fortner, who works to authenticate and verify Monroe memorabilia, shared some photographs via his Instagram page to show what appeared to be a stretched and buckled fabric, as well as missing crystals on the back of the dress.
The company has, however, come out to debunk the claims, stating that the damage had been done before Kim wore the dress.
In a statement posted on Ripley’s website on Thursday, it was revealed that the company “is not the first owner of this dress”, as it was acquired at an auction in 2016, for the price of $4.8 million.
“A report written on the dress’ condition in early 2017 states, ‘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,’ among other instances of damage,” the statement read.
Amanda Joiner, Ripley’s VP of Publishing and Licencing, who accompanied the dress to New York, where the Gala was held, also said, “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.”
Kim had stirred the ire of many when she revealed during the Gala, that she had to go through an extreme weight loss before fitting into the dress, as it could not be altered.
The company also defended its decision to lend the dress to the reality TV star, stating that the showcase which had caused debates had also helped introduce Marilyn Monroe’s legacy to a new generation.
“Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that.
“No matter which side of the debate you are on, [the] historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. An entirely new group of young people has now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe”, the statement read.
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