Kourtney Kardashian is being slammed for posing suggestively in a series of Christmas-themed photos shared on social media. The eldest Kardashian sister donned a Ms. Claus outfit in a photo shoot that many suspected was part of an undisclosed advertisement for Starbucks.
To celebrate the holiday season, Kourtney posed with her husband, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, in a room decorated with warm lights and a Christmas tree.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2022, created a cozy setup with blankets and pillows and was seen with a few vinyl records, including The Rolling Stones’s 1969 LP Let It Bleed, Nirvana’s Nevermind, and The Smiths’ Rank.
Kourtney Kardashian is facing criticism for an alleged ad for Starbucks
Image credits: kourtneykardash
Kourtney wore a fitted Santa suit paired with tights and black heels, posing provocatively with her back to the camera. In other photos, she was seen lying on top of her husband and kissing him.
“I’ll be honest. Weirdest bunch of snaps I’ve ever seen,” one critic commented.
“Why does everything have to be sexual with you? What’s your problem?” asked someone else.
Another complained: “Even Christmas is taken out of context, everything is sexualized.”
“Why do they have to sexualize everything? Guess that’s the only way for them to make money,” added a separate user.
“I haven’t seen such an embarrassing post in a long time,” said someone else.
Even Kourtney’s sister Khloé had questions about the intimate snapshots. “Is the photographer just there the whole time?” she wrote.
The eldest Kardashian sister posed with her husband, Travis Barker, in a Christmas photoshoot
In addition to the provocative nature of the photo shoot, another detail that didn’t go unnoticed was the presence of Starbucks cups, leading some to believe the company had paid the couple for an advertisement.
“So this is just a Starbucks ad?” one user asked.
Someone else wrote: “Just label this an ad…the Starbucks commercialization is so obvious.”
“I’m just stuck on what Starbucks you went to that was open on Christmas,” a separate commenter quipped.
“Stop supporting Starbucks. Disgusting how you try to throw that in there – propaganda at its finest,” stated an additional user.
The coffeehouse chain has faced boycotts since 2023 after suing the Starbucks Workers United (SWU) union for making a social media post declaring “Solidarity with Palestine” amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Following multiple instances of vandalism of Starbucks stores by protesters, CEO Laxman Narasimhan wrote in an end-of-the-year letter addressed to employees: “Our stance is clear. We stand for humanity” and said people had “misrepresented” the company’s values.
While some criticized the suggestive nature of the photos, others speculated that Kourtney had collaborated with the coffee brand
Other comments on Kourtney’s post referenced the background music she chose: her sister Kim’s recent cover of the 1953 Christmas classic Santa Baby.
In the music video, the Skims founder is shown crawling through a chaotic house wearing a blonde bob wig.
As Kim makes her way to Santa Claus, she encounters a series of strange sights, including three elves near a bathroom, various women in lingerie playing a game of Twister, and a donkey standing next to the Virgin Mary.
Directed by Nadia Lee Cohen and Charlie Deni, the five-minute-long video—which many have described as “disturbing”—features an appearance from Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin.
Bored Panda has contacted Kourtney Kardashian’s representatives for comment.