When has Kim Kardashian ever been a stranger to controversy? But for a lady who makes such bold moves, a bit of backlash here and there is totally expected.
The reality TV star is back at the heart of controversy again, this time concerning Kimono, a shapewear brand she recently launched.
Traditional Japanese Gown
If you have no idea where she got the name from, a kimono is a traditional Japanese gown worn on the upper body by women who wish to dress more modestly.
This simple fact what has outraged the Japanese, especially because Kim’s shapewear isn’t anywhere close to resembling the centuries-old garment that is ingrained in the Japanese culture.
Luckily, the Asians are not alone in this fight, as other social media users have come out in support of their plight.
The Victoria and Albert Museum came on particularly hard to condemn Kim, starting the catchy hashtag #KimOhNo while at it. Whatever your feelings about this are, you’ve got to at least appreciate that pun!
The museum took it upon themselves to post an image of the traditional garment, in addition to linking their post to an article detailing the kimono’s cultural significance, rich history, and its symbolism.
Despite originally stating that she wouldn’t even consider changing her brand’s name via the NYT, Kim Kardashian seems to have finally caved in to the pressure.
Taking to Instagram to make the announcement, the iron lady revealed that she’ll be re-launching the line under a different name to settle the controversy.
What she didn’t do, however, was announce when she would be changing it, or what name she’d come up with at the second time of asking.
Nevertheless, this piece of news was received positively and managed to put out most of the fire that was blazing on the internet.
Her explanation as to why she went with Kimono in the first place was also a somewhat reasonable one, with the entrepreneur saying that she named her shapewear in appreciation of the traditional garment’s beauty. As she put it, she has deep respect for the Japanese culture.
Having None of It
You know how dear the Japanese hold their traditions, right? Well, according to the BBC, they were having none of Kim’s explanation.
As Yuka Ohishi, a Japanese lady, told the news outlet, Kim Kardashian must have chosen the kimono word simply because it has her name “Kim” in it.
The woman went on to say that her shapewear has no respect for what the garment means in Japanese culture.
Although the Kimono controversy is fairly recent, Kim actually trademarked the name back in 2018. Additionally, it wasn’t just that one name’s papers that she filed.
The model also sought to have Kimono World and Kimono Body trademarked. With Kimono having caused such an uproar, would Kim even consider releasing the other two brands? Only time will tell!
At the moment, the star is struggling with how to go about relabeling just about two million garments that had already been designated for sale under the Kimono label.
She has to find a way around not being wasteful and find a way to modify the existing label into a catchy name. Knowing her, she’ll definitely figure it out!