I found it so INTERESTING that Kim Kardashian did not issue any kind of statement, tweet or Instagram message during the first 24 hours of the Taylor Swift-Scooter Braun controversy. Taylor Swift name-checked Kim specifically, and Taylor cited Kim’s “receipts” as just one piece of a campaign of bullying at the hands of Scooter Braun. Post-receipts, Kim basically just left everything as is – she didn’t repeatedly bring up Taylor in interview after interview, whereas Taylor basically dedicated a good chunk of Reputation to Kimye.
So, it’s notable that Kim didn’t say anything. It’s also notable that Kim is saying something about something completely unrelated to Taylor Swift. Last week, Kim was bashed for naming her new shapewear/underwear line “Kimono.” It was the trademarked name and everything. Japanese people and Japanese-Americans were like “can you just NOT?” And now Kim is renaming the business. She posted this on her Instagram:
Being an entrepreneur and my own boss has been one of the most rewarding challenges I’ve been blessed with in my life. What’s made it possible for me after all of these years has been the direct line of communication with my fans and the public. I am always listening, learning and growing – I so appreciate the passion and varied perspectives that people bring to me. When I announced the name of my shapewear line, I did so with the best intentions in mind. My brands and products are built with inclusivity and diversity at their core and after careful thought and consideration, I will be launching my Solutionwear brand under a new name. I will be in touch soon. Thank you for your understanding and support always.
*shrug* That’s a smart way to do it. It’s not an apology – why start now? – but she acknowledges that she listens to the criticism and thinks about whether her critics have a point and she decided they did. So she’s making a change. I mean… all of this could have been avoided, and very easily too. But it’s good that she’s acknowledging a mistake and changing it. Now if she would just stop culturally appropriating everything else, maybe?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Make it Kimoni. Simple. Done.
Or Kimuno. She thinks she’s numero uno anyway.
KimWear makes sense and to the point.
I’d like that spandex in leggings or a base-layer for skiing, I love the colors/design.
That’s all I’ve got.
Right?! I’m all about those colors and design. I’m glad she went with a different name and all that but who is she wearing lolol😂
I still don’t understand the meaning of ‘Kimono’. Sure it is about “Kim”, but what is “ono”?
A Kimono is a traditional Japanese garment worn by women in that country. It’s translation is “Thing to where on the shoulders”.
I think Mirage was merely interested in why Kim decided to call her line Kimono, not in the meaning of the word itself.
Yes indeed, thanks for clarifying Tanguerita.
@ Tanguerita, Mirage broke the word down and asked the meaning.
@B not really, but ok.
That’s why it made no sense at all for “shapewear”.
I was wondering that the other day. I am assuming she just was like “ha, this piece of clothing has Kim in the spelling of the name! I’ll use that”.
The whole thing would have been more clever if “Ono” was the name of the product and she was calling them Kim Ono’s or something. But I really don’t think it was that thought out.
Yes, I thought Ono might be relating to her product somehow. But if that’s not the case, why use a word so closely related to the Japanese tradition AND trademark it..?!
We’ll never know..
Actually in Japanese, it can be a pun if done correctly as Kim mono (as in もの or things). So it can be like Kim’s thing/stuff/item but I don’t think she is that clever. If she want to use that pun and make the play on kimono- it could have literally be Kimnomono. Then she wouldn’t have embarrassed herself or try to steal kimono.
I’ll give her credit for this one move but that’s about it.
She looks like a Barbie come to life. And I don’t mean that in a good way – I know she paid a lot of money for her figure / shape but everything is so disproportionate.
I know someone who worked a one-time service gig for her (think catering) and he said she was perfectly nice to everyone, but very strange-looking in person. He said her proportions were so odd; she’s incredibly short, but her hips are nearly as wide as a standard door frame.
That’s almost exactly the description I heard from someone who met her in person. I guess when one is addicted (what else to call it?) to cosmetic procedures, at some point there’s no where left to go but ridiculous.
My aunt saw her in person once and said the same thing. Very short and SHOCKINGLY wide.
In younger pictures she didn’t look like that…why does she think that’s attractive?
I’ve never watched the show, but when I’ve been forced to watch clips or trailers and I’ve seen them talk and move, it’s mesmerizing. And shocking. They have done SO much work on themselves and they look so plastic and odd. Like robots. I can only imagine seeing them in person must be super weird.
Handled well, but could have been avoided and she really didn’t have another option, so not sure how much credit I will give her on this. Now if her, Khloe, and Kylie could stop blackfishing, that would be cool.
I don’t expect her to comment on the Taylor Swift thing, although she may surprise me. She seems like for the most part she released the Snapchat thing and then was done (although she did have that shady instagram about the Famous video around the same time Swift released something).
Are we ignoring her new chin? She got the Jennifer Aniston 🙁
Yeah, something is definitely different about the face—again. I am at a loss, though. Looks like her lips are closer to her chin? LOL
Yes! Her chin/jaw area is a completely different shape now. It’s squared off.
She didn’t know before? I guess this IS Kim K we’re talking about… But seriously?
Meh, this felt like a publicity stunt. Stay trashy I guess.
This.
Using cultural appropriation backlash to draw attention to a line that no one would otherwise be aware of. She simply just does this too much for it to be accidental.
Pure publicity stunt and an offensive one
I said the same thing. This is one big publicity stunt. Outrage is a profitable tactic to use in business and politics. Create controversy then pretend like you are remorseful and that you solved a problem. Trumpism 101.
She knew all along it would be controversial. She got free publicity for her new line everyone will be waiting for the “new” name. And she is getting credit for listening, I do not like her but it is brilliant pr.
Yep. She knew damn well this was inappropriate. It’s so annoying that this family purposely bates because their bored and/or want financial gain.
Yup. She is not bright, but bright enough to realize by now that taking something from another culture is gonna get a reaction. How many times has she done it with her cornrows?
Her RBF has her looking like Jennifer Lopez in the about picture.
She didn’t clap back because the KUWK season finale just aired on Sunday and in it Kylie called her (& Malika) out for bullying Jordyn online just after the Tristan news came out. Kylie was right and Kim listened, she won’t want to get any more bullying accusations this week and that’s why she’s not clapping back with Taylor. I’m embarrassed to know all this 🙂
I’m also Team Taylor in the whole Kimye mess. That video he made with her likeness was abhorrent.
It should read:
Kim acknowledges Kimono problem that she created on purpose for publicity and is now saying words about learning and being inclusive in order to give the impression that she gives a shit about either thing.
She contrived this entire scenario- how do people keep falling for this??
same here @grabbyhands. I can’t believe people would even give her credit for “listening”? C’mon! So Trumpsters-like the way people give her chance after chance. Lots of people drank the Kool-aid.
It comes down to money. She knew NOT changing the name would lead to poor sales. If she really cared she would never have used that name in the first place.
By the way Kim is still being petty about the whole Taylor thing. Didn’t she just in the last few months tweet a pic of “snake jewelry” ???
Was this all just a stunt?
Anyways, so much for saying actual Japanese people don’t care. The mayor(?) of Kyoto sent her a letter urging her not to call her shapewear kimono.
Holy crap… another new face. Completely new chin/jaw.
Must be why she cut her hair shorter… to distract from the newest procedure.
I am surprised not many people are seeing this for what it is, a publicity stunt, and it worked. This is the family’s MO since Kim came on the scene through her tape.
How about kimNoNo?
*shrug*
Same happened to me. My new hat wear line is named “Sombrero” after my name. I had no clue the name is from another culture. After receiving a letter from the mayor of Guadalajara, Mexico, about the history and significance of the sombrero, I am changing the name to S hat or “Shat”. I have learned and grown tremendously with this lesson. TeeHee
This publicity stunt is so transparent and awful. It’s clear now given who her manager is, Tooter. I mean Scooter. My daughter would not talk to me if I pulled this stunt, she’s 14 and has more principles in her pinky finger than these clowns. Very sad.
Her manager is her mother not Scooter.
Lol we’re resorting to calling people Tooter now? Come on. A grown man going by Scooter is embarrassing enough on his own.
hahahaha!
Tooter!
I’m glad she scrapped kimono but I’m scared for the replacement.
In a million years Kim would not have been able to write the p.r. piece about the name change.
My thought exactly!
I think she should call it Kimmotion. Works on several levels and waaay better than Kimono. Can’t believe I’m weighing in on this. 😜
Its athletic shape wear and she wants her name on it…
Is KiMotion *really* that hard to come up with? There ya go Kim, you’re welcome
Wtf do kimonos even have to do w/anything anyway….?
KiMotion would have been brilliant actually !
When I hear the word kimono, I certainly do not think about what Kim was peddling under that name. It just isn’t that kind of garment. What was she thinking?
Is it possible she did not really know what a kimono is?
Now that she’s got a tonne of free outrage publicity. Can’t this family be over already?
Dude, this family calculates EVERYTHING. They for sure knew what kind of controversary it would get and did it anyway because look at all the free publicity they got.