A wise girl knows her limits a smart girl knows she has none. Marilyn Monroe
Kim Kardashian stirred up a hornet’s nest when she wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress to the MET Gala in May. The famous nude sequence dress Marilyn wore at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 1962, when she sang happy birthday to John F. Kennedy. Marilyn passed away later that year on August 4, 1962.
French designer Jean Louis, who produced the dress, dyed the fabric in a nude color to match the starlet’s skin tone and had it sewn onto her naked body before she took the stage to serenade John F. Kennedy in 1962 for the president’s birthday. The point of the dress was to be barely there—coming as close to the illusion of nudity as possible, a challenge at a time when films and television were highly censored. The garment’s now-defunct fabric, soufflé silk, if damaged, would be irreparable. artiness.com
So when Kim K. Showed up on the red carpet wearing the original dress many historians and conservationists were upset, to say the least bringing on a chorus of criticism for the reality mogul, Vogue, and The Ripley’s Museum, who has ownership of the gown where it is on display for the public viewing and perhaps the most logical place to house the iconic dress.
preserving history one dress at a time
Perhaps the most vocal of these critics is the International Council of Museums (ICOM). A statement made by the ICON said, “Historical garments should not be worn by anybody, public or private figures.”
ICOM listed many reasons and their threats to wearing historical garments and all of which were allegedly or presumed introduced to the dress at the MET gala. They are fragrance, makeup, jewelry, stage lighting, humidity, and photographic flashes. It is the museum’s code of ethics and conservation guidelines that historical garments should be handled as little as possible to preserve them. artnews.com “Why experts Say Kim Kardashian Shouldn’t Have Worn Marilyn Monroe Dress at Met Gala”
The most outspoken individual on the topic of the Marilyn dress, Sarah Scaturro, formerly the head of conservation at the Costume Institute and current chief conservator of the Cleveland Museum of Art, has multiple problems over the decision of having the iconic garment re-worn.
Scaturro first expresses the concern of copycats, others wanting to wear old historical garments that should otherwise be left to the curatorship of professionals. Scaturro told the Los Angeles Times that in the ’80s a bunch of costume professionals came together to state a resolution that historic costumes should not be worn, So my worry is that colleagues in historic costume collections are now going to be pressured by important people to let them wear garments.”
why wearing marilyn monroes iconic dress upsets the public
When I think of historical events or pieces of history it is with nostalgia. Preserving artifacts is essential in order for others to have the experience of viewing such influential and memorable parts of our history.
It is not surprising the comments surrounding the decision or even thought that someone wearing a dress to a gala with so much history tied to it outraged the public.
Many came forward with little reserve on the topic and in fact, many were just plain honest. We live in a society now where anything or one can be bought. Is the Marilyn dress finally the straw that broke the ethical camels back to this endless parade of reality stars who have made a hefty penny for being famous for nothing.
“They are artifacts of the material culture of [their] time,” ICOM said of the Monroe gown, and others like it, “and they must be kept preserved for future generations. artnews.com
There is a code of ethics that museums are to adhere to. Conservation of the garment should be handled as little as possible in order to conserve them. A 60-year-old dress should never have been removed by a museum and allowed a public figure to wear at a red carpet event. artnews.com
Madelief Hohé, a Dutch fashion curator said bluntly in an Instagram post that “wearing historic garments is unethical,” adding that its standard practice to refuse loans of archival garments even to the likes of figureheads like Anna Wintour, calling the move, “an insane assault on our profession.”
I believe vogue played a huge part in this because of the MET gala. The dress did not fit Kim K nor should she have ever thought it would be ok to wear the gown.
By doing so you show how little you actually cared about the integrity of the dress by wearing it a replica that you had was fine. But somehow this woman has bestowed herself upon the level of Marilyn Monroe and just because you quote are a fan does not give you the right to do that. I am a fan Marilyn has millions of fans why is it we realize it is wrong to wear her gown but Kim K feels she is above us and deserves to trot down a red carpet with a white shawl covering the back because it didn’t close. Kim your body is not Marilyn Monroe’s you have no ethical value in this dress you would have been so much more respected saying on the red carpet this is a replica because only Marilyn is worthy of wearing her dress not me and not no one else now that shows integrity. Not squeezing your well-known oversized rump into her iconic dress.
It is distasteful on vogues part and I have to say I am very disappointed in learning Vogue allowed this they of all people know and understand garments and their history
“Prevention is better than cure. Wrong treatment will destroy an object forever,” ICOM said.COM is far from the only one to condemn the decision. Sarah Scaturro.
not everyone feels the same way about kim k wearing marilyns dress
Daniel Preda, writer and creator spoke out on Kim K’s behalf saying, “though their trajectories differed vastly-Kim and Marilyn were both faced with, and overcame, similarly misogynistic criticism on their journeys to becoming cultural icons. The people saying Kim is a disgrace to Marilyn for wearing her iconic dress are the same types of people Marilyn dealt with her entire career. They told Marilyn she was never good enough, she was too sexual, not talented, stupid, a whore. Misogyny in history repeats itself.”
Daniel continues by saying, “This is more than just a dress. Marilyn Monroe was the biggest star in the world. A sexual icon who rose up from nothing to become a legend. It makes perfect sense in 2022 why Kim K would be the one chosen to wear this dress. She IS a modern-day Marilyn Monroe.” Daniel Preda via Twitter
am I the only one repulsed by this comment
When Kim K came up with her idea to wear the dress she wondered whether the current owners of the dress might be receptive to her desire to wear the historic design to the Met Gala, she contacted Julien, someone who works for the Kardashians as their go-between/negotiator in late February to request that he act as a go-between. “The owner’s first reaction was, ‘We have a replica dress, she could wear that,’ and I said, ‘Kim doesn’t do replicas,’” Julien remembers.
The Hollywood Reporter goes on to describe in detail the back and forth decisions around Kim wearing the iconic dress which I for one was not remotely interested in how Ms. K got her way. I find it insulting, arrogant, and frankly rude. That she feels she is above wearing a replica on the red carpet because she can’t boast it is not the real thing. Is this what society has finally come to the full circle of 20 years of a family famous for nothing wearing the most famous talented woman on the silver screen, her iconic dress.
Meanwhile, back on the red carpet, Kardashian said she had to go on a three-week strict diet and exercise regimen to lose 16 pounds to fit into the dress, which seemed to confirm conservationists’ fears about how a new wearer might affect the integrity of the dress and how historical garments should not be worn by anyone public or private but the original individual who wore the dress. Ironically speaking, “Who wore it best.”
Of course, in the aftermath, there is much speculation that in fact, Kim K wearing the dress has damaged the back of the dress. Whether she did or did not this type of repercussion was inevitable. Wish is why you leave a 60-year-old dress with so much history surrounding the garment where it belongs in a museum.
“Sex is part of nature. I go along with nature” – Marilyn Monroe
marilyn the icon
Marilyn Monroe was by all mean a woman ahead of the times. She exuded sex appeal during a time when women were expected to be June Clevers. She was one of the first very public figures to speak out about tolerance of the LGBT community and racial injustice. Marilyn was also a feminist who empowered women to be strong and take command of their sexuality during a point in history it was frowned upon.
Marilyn Monroe did not have a privileged childhood in fact she grew up poor. She rose to fame as a model first then as an actress/singer on the silver screen. She cemented her role as a blonde bombshell in roles as a cometic character in films such as, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, “Some Like it Hot”, and “The Misfits”, “How to Marry A Millionaire”, and numerous more during the 1950s and early 1960s which was emblematic of the sexual revolution. Her name is synonymous with sex symbol with her blond hair and the white dress hence the famous photo standing over an air vent.
Or perhaps it is the most famous of pictures where when celebrated American portraitist photographer Richard Avedon. Richard Avedon as an artist, the main goal focused on uncovering the personalities of celebrities. In May of 1957 he photographed Marilyn at his New York City studio, Avedon famously quoted, “For hours she danced and sang and flirted and did this thing that’s-she did Marilyn Monroe. And then there was the inevitable drop. And when the night was over and the white wine was over and the dancing was over, she sat in the corner like a child, with everything gone. I saw her sitting quietly without expression on her face, and I walked towards her but I wouldn’t photograph her without her knowledge of it. And as I came with the camera, I saw that she was not saying no.” Avedon somehow managed to capture the iconic star with her walls down, and with one specific image, he provided a rare moment now immortalized in time of Marilyn, her inner self.
Telling a story like this one is magical. You see the old studio with the camera equipment notable for the 1950s era, it is old by our standards, vintage however we the ones who idolized her can still visualize a moment frozen in time. For it is these moments and many others that 60 years after her untimely death we still grasp not because she was famous for having no talent but because she was famous for being so talented. Therefore when a piece of history is removed from a museum and worn by another individual who does not embody the same persona, frankly, it is ignorant with crucial implications with consequences that affect the conservation of history.
We live in times where our every move is captured whether it be social media or digital we are judged by an audience of millions therefore when decisions are being made about preserving the integrity of history they should be made by the correct knowledgeable individuals and not the recently spoiled starlet who “is such a big fan and I love Marilyn Monroe”. Let’s face it everyone loved Marilyn and it for this reason the public has expressed such disdain for the rationale behind “Dress Gate”. Perhaps these unintended consequences can be avoided or mitigated but only if we recognize them beforehand.
Historic garments should not be worn by anyone period. These garments are a fabric of our history literally. And whether you are famous or a private figure they are not to be worn by anyone else but the iconic individual who wore them and only them.
And I’m selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes I’m out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best. – Marilyn Monroe