A die-hard Marilyn Monroe collector on Wednesday blasted the company that owned the actress’ famous dress for allowing Kim Kardashian to wear it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art gala in New York, which he said “damaged her beyond repair.”
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To back up his claims, Scott Fortner, a collector who runs a site entirely devoted to Marilyn Monroe, released photos this week of the crystal-encrusted cream dress she wore when she sang “Happy Birthday Mr President”. in 1962.
In the first series of images, according to him, Marilyn’s famous dress appears as it was before the Met Gala. The second set was taken by a friend of Scott Fortner’s on Sunday in the window of the private Ripley’s Museum in Hollywood, after Kim Kardashian wore it.
Comparing the photos seems to show small tears in the fabric at the back closure and some crystals missing or hanging from a thread at the back of the dress.
The footage and alleged damage to the dress, which Ripley auctioned off for a record $4.8 million, has drawn widespread criticism on social media in recent days.
In an update posted Wednesday on his Instagram account, Scott Fortner specifies that “his rebuke is aimed at Ripley’s, who allowed the dress to be worn.”
“Any celebrity who was offered to wear this garment would have taken advantage of the opportunity (…). Kim K. was the only one who could do it,” he continues.
“Ripley had an obligation to protect and preserve this historic piece and they failed to do so. It is now damaged beyond repair and would probably have been damaged by whoever wore it,” believes the collector.
Asked by AFP to comment on the allegations, Ripley’s did not respond on Wednesday afternoon.
In early May, Ripley’s was delighted that the dress, which had never been worn since Marilyn Monroe, was given to Kim Kardashian for the Met Gala.
“Great care has been taken to preserve this piece of history. With the help of fashion curators, experts, archivists and insurers, we have made the condition of the garment our number one priority. No reshoots were made and Kim Kardashian donated a copy before attending the gala,” the company wrote in a statement.
Even Kim Kardashian, who had undertaken a draconian diet to access the legendary dress, did not react to this controversy on her social networks.