Kim Kardashian has fired back over claims she "damaged" Marilyn Monroe's iconic gown at the Met Gala.
The SKIMS founder, 41, caused controversy when she wore the late actress' 'Happy Birthday' dress on the rep carpet for the annual event - before changing into a replica at the top of the stairs.
Mum-of-four Kim appeared on America's Today show where she was questioned over wearing the gown and if she had caused any damage.
Kim told hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie: "No," as she shook her head.
She continued: "Ripley's [and I] worked together so well. There were handlers and gloves that put it on me."
Savannah then added: "Ripley's has said that the dress wasn't damaged."
Kim replied: "It was such a process. I showed up to the red carpet in a robe and slippers and I put the dress on at the bottom of the carpet, went up the stairs … I probably had it on for three minutes, four minutes, and then I changed at the top of the stairs."
The reality star says she has "so much respect" for Marilyn after she brushed off the backlash.
Kim explained: "I understand how much this dress means to American history and with the [Met] theme being American, I thought what is more American than Marilyn Monroe singing 'Happy Birthday' to the President of the United States."
She became the subject of backlash after wearing the dress, as some infuriated fans claimed she had "ruined" it.
However Ripley's confirmed the dress had not been damaged by Kim in a comparison post on Instagram.
Comments were made when before-and-after photos - taken 52 days apart - allegedly showed the differences to the dress.
But Ripley's jumped to Kim's defence on Instagram.
"One thing Ripley's Believe It or Not! can say with confidence is that it did not cause damage to Marilyn Monroe’s famed “Happy Birthday” dress from 1962," they wrote.
Kim was also slammed for losing a huge amount of weight in such a short time in order to fit into the dress.
Addressing the backlash during the interview, Kim said: "I looked at it like a role, and I really wanted to wear this dress. It was really important to me, and it actually taught me a lot about my lifestyle and my health.
"Since then, afterwards, I've continued to eat really healthy... I'm not trying to lose any more weight, but I have more energy than ever, I've cut out so much sugar, a lot of junk food I was eating – I didn't even realise – a lot of fried foods, and I just completely changed my lifestyle."
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