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Marilyn Monroe's iconic "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress is reportedly damaged after Kim Kardashian wore it to the 2022 Met Gala in May. According to Page Six, just posing for photos on the Gala's red carpet may have caused damage to the historical dress.
Side-by-side photos posted by Pop Crave from The Marylin Monroe Collection show the dress before and after Kim went out in it. "The dress now shows signs of tearing, and several crystals are either missing or hanging off of it," they observed.
The Ripley's Believe it Or Not! Museum loaned the reality star the dress, which is currently at its Hollywood location. At the time, they said they were taking precautions to prevent any possible damage. “This was no easy decision for Ripley’s, however, Kim Kardashian has continued to show the utmost respect for this opportunity and historic garment,” Ripley’s said in a post-gala statement. “From extensive research to following guidelines such as no body makeup, only wearing the dress for the short red-carpet appearance, and making absolutely no alterations, she has become a steward — and added to — its history.” At the time, they noted that "no damage" had occurred to the garment.
Kim received some backlash from fans for wearing Marilyn's dress, including the man who designed it. After the high-profile outing, legendary costume designer Bob Mackie told Entertainment Weekly Kim wearing the dress was "a big mistake." He continued, "[Marilyn] was a goddess. A crazy goddess, but a goddess. She was just fabulous. Nobody photographs like that. And it was done for her. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress."
The reality star also made headlines when she revealed on the red carpet that she lost 16 pounds in three weeks to be able to fit into the dress. While she did slip into a replica of the dress before attending the actual Gala, apparently it was too late.