Marylin Monroe dress destroyed following Kim Kardashian's Met Gala outing

Oh dear...

(Image credit: Getty Images for The Met Museum/)

Oh dear...

Did you think that the drama caused by Kim K wearing Marilyn Monroe's dress to the Met Gala was over? Not quite. 

The fans were divided last month, when the The Keeping Up With the Kardashian star wore the iconic gown to fashion's most prestigious event. For some it was the most iconic moment of the night, whilst others thought it was out of place. Now though, everyone can agree that the damage done by Kim's famous booty is pretty shocking. Monroe fans everywhere are devastated to see the dress “destroyed”.

The saga first started when Kim announced that Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum would be loaning her the famous 'Happy Birthday' dress for the 72nd Met Gala.

At the event, she revealed that the dress could not be altered and that she went on an extreme (and very unhealthy) diet of tomatoes to fit into it. This ignited backlash, with lots of people saying that the reality tv star had bragged about her achievement. A spokesperson from Ripley's said that Kim Kardashian had "made fashion history" wearing the dress.

Until the Met Gala red carpet, Marilyn was the only person to ever wear the dress. It's reported that Kim tried her hardest to treat the garment with care and that she only wore it for five minutes before changing. Despite her hard work, fans are convinced the dress is damaged beyond repair.

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Bob Makie, the designer of the gown, revealed that having the dress out of its controlled environment would have damaged it, since things like oxygen would be detrimental to its preservation.

Naturally, he was right. Now the dress shows obvious signs of wear and tear. Oh, and those the perfectly placed crystals? They're gone.

The Marilyn Monroe Collection shared before and after images of the dress and, you can see for yourself, the damage is shocking.

A photo posted by on

Many are questioning whether Ripley's Believe It or Not should have allowed the dress to be worn. After all, a red carpet's probably not the safest place and when is a dress ever the same after a big night out?

While Ripley’s denies allegations Kim Kardashian damaged Marilyn Monroe’s dress, Monroe fans are devastated.

One comment reads: "She ruined Marilyn's dress, I'm really sad." Another adds "No one should use a cultural and historical legacy for personal purpose."

Kim Kardashian is famous for making fashion statements, but maybe the Monroe dress was one step too far.

Dionne Brighton

Dionne Brighton is a writer at Marie Claire UK, specialising in all things shopping, beauty and fashion. Born and raised in North London, she studied Literature at the University of East Anglia before taking the leap into journalism. These days, you can find her testing out the latest TikTok beauty trends or finding out what the next full Moon means.