Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has said that it is “confident” Kim Kardashian did not cause any damage to Marilyn Monroe’s famous dress when she wore it to the Met Gala last month.
In May, the reality TV star caused a social media stir when she stepped out in the famous crystal gown worn by Monroe when she sang “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy in 1962.
Following the loan, Scott Fortner, who has his own private collection of Marilyn Monroe artefacts, posted photos online claiming that the dress had shown “significant” damage after it was worn by the reality TV star.
Video footage shared on Instagram by author Darrell Rooney also purports to show further damage to the gown’s shoulder straps.
However, now the owners of the historic dress have issued a statement supporting Kardashian and their decision to loan the gown to her.
“Kim Kardashian’s walk up the Metropolitan Museum’s stairs at this year’s Met Gala caused quite the stir, but 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,” the franchise said.
“Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that.
“No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted.
“An entirely new group of young people has now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe.”
Ripley’s continued: “Kim Kardashian wearing the ‘Happy Birthday’ dress has been hotly contested, but the fact remains that she did not, in any way, damage the garment in the short amount of time it was worn at the Met Gala.”
Additionally, Ripley’s confirmed that its vice president of publishing and licensing, Amanda Joiner, who supervised the dress’s transport to and from the Met Gala, had noted that “from the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in.”
Additional reporting by PA.
