Photo Credit: pure julia on Unsplash
Every May, the gossip about who’s wearing what to the Met Gala is unavoidable. But, at this year’s event, one dress was talked about more than most.
The look in question was a crystal-encrusted, skin-tight gown custom-made for Marilyn Monroe in 1962 when the actress famously sang 'Happy Birthday' to JFK.
Decades after its creation, the garment made headlines because of another woman in the spotlight.
Probably to fly on Monroe’s coattails, Kim Kardashian thought it was appropriate to wear her original dress along the red carpet toward New York’s Metropolitan Museum.
Far from a good move, it caused a level of controversy that, months later, is still bubbling away. Media outlets, fashion experts and museum curators have all weighed in on the debate – should the dress have been worn by Kardashian or not?
I lean towards the latter. As an artefact, it is more than a dress. It is a piece of history to preserve, not loan out to celebrities for publicity. Given its age and the fact it was so fitted Monroe was sewn into it, I'd have argued the likelihood of wear and tear was too great to risk.
The risk was realised when it burst at the seams on Kardashian. Who, increasing the controversy, lost 16 pounds in three weeks to wear it. Lili Reinhart even called the reality star out for openly starving herself “for the sake of the Met Gala” and perpetuating dangerous dieting.
Although concealed by a shawl and Kardashian vehemently denies it, the ill-fitting dress was damaged. Photos following the event have shown significant rips, puckering and crystal loss. Given the custom-made nature and age of the item, it’s unlikely it was left unscathed.
Still, Ripley’s (who loaned the garment) maintains that “the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted.” And a “new group of young people has now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe.”
However, I believe to tarnish the dress is to tarnish the memory of Monroe, who, having died decades ago, cannot control her image.
With a spate of documentaries and the release of Blonde fast approaching, all this bleeds into wider issues around Monroe and the politics of retelling a life through endless productions and biopics without her input.
Monroe herself wanted the dress to become a “historical” piece only she would wear. Her wishes should have been respected.
by Lauren Burns
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