A fanatical Marilyn Monroe collector on Wednesday criticized the company that owns the actress’ famous dress for allowing Kim Kardashian to wear it to the Metropolitan Museum Gala in New York, which he says “damaged it beyond repair.” .
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To back up his claims, Scott Fortner, a collector who runs a website dedicated solely to Marilyn Monroe, this week released photos of the cream crystal-embellished dress the latter wore when she wrote John F. Kennedy’s ‘Happy Birthday Mr President” sang in 1962.
According to him, in the first series of pictures Marilyn’s famous dress appears as it was before the Met gala. The second set was captured by a friend of Scott Fortner in the window of the private Ripley’s Museum in Hollywood on Sunday after Kim Kardashian donned it.
Comparing the shots appears to show small tears in the fabric at the back closure and several crystals missing or hanging from a thread in the back of the dress.
The snaps and the alleged damage done to the dress, which Ripley’s has auctioned for a record $4.8 million, have drawn widespread criticism on social media in recent days.
In an update posted to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Scott Fortner states that his “allegations are directed at Ripley’s, who allowed the dress to be worn.”
“Any celebrity offered to wear this garment would have jumped at the chance (…). Kim K. was just the one who could do it,” he continues.
“Ripley’s had a duty to protect and preserve this historic piece and they failed to do so. It is now damaged beyond repair and would likely have damaged anyone who wore it,” the collector believes.
Asked by AFP to comment on these allegations, Ripley’s did not respond Wednesday afternoon.
In early May, Ripley’s welcomed the gift of the dress, never worn since Marilyn Monroe, to Kim Kardashian for the Met Gala.
“Great care has been taken to preserve this piece of history. With the help of fashion curators, experts, archivists and insurers, we have made the condition of the garment our top priority. No reshoots were made and Kim Kardashian donned a replica before attending the gala,” the company wrote in a statement.
Even Kim Kardashian, who went on a draconian diet to be able to wear the legendary dress, did not react to this controversy on her social networks.