Why is Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala dress making waves on the internet?
On 2nd May, at the Met Gala 2022, an annual fundraising soiree held in New York, American model and socialite Kim Kardashian wore a dress that took the world by surprise. This is the gown that legendary Hollywood actress, Marilyn Monroe, wore in 1962 at the 45th birthday celebration of the American President, John F. Kennedy, and sang the famous ‘Happy Birthday’ song for him. Kim Kardashian, known for making her presence felt wherever she goes, borrowed this iconic dress from Orlando-based Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum for the mega event.
Why is this dress so special?
As already mentioned, this dress is associated with two iconic figures of the American history, Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy. On May 19, 1962, President John F. Kennedy was celebrating his 45th birthday, 10 days before his actual date of birth (29th May). The celebration took place in front of almost 15,000 people at a Democratic fundraiser at Madison Square Garden, New York. Marilyn Monroe was among those who attended the event. She wore a dress that was mostly hidden beneath a white ermine fur coat when she arrived at the event. However, as she walked on the stage, she removed the coat with her signature flair and revealed her outfit, the one we all saw Kim Kardashian wearing at the Met Gala on Monday.
The dress was made of a delicate fabric called souffle which is said to be stretchy and resilient when it's new, but becomes weaker and more brittle with age. The bespoke gown was a body-hugging, flesh-coloured backless dress comprising over 6000 hand-strewn crystals. According to media reports, it roughly cost $1,440 in 1962. It is also said that Monroe had to be sewn into the dress seconds before her curtain call because it was too tight.
American fashion designer Bob Mackie’s sketch inspired the dress. This was one of his initial assignments with French haute couturier Jean Louis. Mackie was working with Louis at that time.
On November 18, 2016, Ripley's Believe It or Not bought the outfit at $4.81 million from a California-based auction house known as Julien’s Auction.
Who is Bob Mackie?
Bob Mackie is a globally recognised costume and fashion designer who has been the brain behind some of the most magnificent dresses that Hollywood has witnessed. A native of Southern California, he began his career in 1961 as a sketch artist for many costume designers, including Edith Head and Jean Louis. Nearly two decades later, in 1982, he ventured into fashion designing by launching a line of high-end ready-to-wear clothing. Furs, home furnishings, fragrance, a clothing line sold on the TV shopping channel QVC, and a thriving made-to-order business are all part of his empire today.