Ryan Murphy‘s All’s Fair has an all-star cast and very mixed reviews – more which lean on the negative side if we’re being honest. But one positive thing has come out of it: Kim Kardashian is righting some past cultural insensitivity wrongs!
The 44-year-old Kardashians star plays the role of Allura Grant in the highly divisive show, with one of her character’s enviable outfits being a stunning pink and black kimono.
On December 1st, she shared a multi-photo carousel of herself modelling the beautiful piece by Milligan Beaumont in behind-the-scenes pictures; and unlike her previous history with the kimono, the internet was very much on board this time around!
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Kim Kardashian Shares Kimono Pictures From 'All's Fair' On Instagram
Anyone who remembers the Skims founder's earlier kimono controversy knows why this outfit is getting more attention than her others.
A quick search of her name and the word 'kimono' still brings up headlines from 2018 and 2019, when Kim first planned to call her Skims shapewear brand 'Kimono' – a play on her name, of course. The name immediately sparked backlash for using the name of a traditional Japanese garment in a commercial context. And the endless cultural insensitivity and cultural appropriation criticism eventually led her to change the name to the one we know today.
"Kim Kardashian is a culture vulture whose company was originally named Kimono which after backlash she changed," one fan wrote on X this year. Another commented on a picture of her Skims branding, adding: "We all remember when you tried to call this venture Kimono... only to be shut down for the obvious idiocy of trying to trademark the word."
The criticism back in 2018 and 2019 was intense. One social media user wrote in 2018: "First of all everyone needs to understand that her calling it 'kimono intimates' is an example of cultural appropriation, given she is not one bit Japanese nor oriental Asian, and that's why [it] is insulting." They continued: "A kimono is not just a garment, there's an entire meaning behind it, and to pathetically call it what Kim has called it really irritates me."
Another commenter asked: "Why's it called kimono if that's a completely different style of clothing?" They then said: "I get that you're incorporating your name but kimono is the name of a traditional (and cultural) Japanese robe."
Kim Kardashian Originally Defended Her Decision To Call Her Shapewear Brand 'Kimono' Amid Cultural Appropriation Backlash
Kim defended herself in an interview with The New York Times, saying the name was meant to be "a nod to the beauty and detail that goes into a garment." She also said she didn't plan to change the name or design anything that would "resemble or dishonor the traditional garment," saying: "I understand and have deep respect for the significance of the kimono in Japanese culture. My solutionwear brand is built with inclusivity and diversity at its core and I'm incredibly proud of what's to come."
As we now know, she eventually changed the name after sustained criticism. On Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim reflected on the situation and confessed: "My intention wasn't ever to offend anybody. Foolishly and ignorantly, we never thought that it would be a problem."
"I just feel kind of dumb. Like, why didn't we think about this? It sucks that it's so public and that everyone can see the mistakes of the brand as they're live, but I've got to just calm down. Everything happens for a reason," she went on.
She later explained why she ultimately landed on Skims: "I need a name that really does speak to me the way that Kimono did. Skims is easy, it works, it flows. I just know that this is the right thing to do."
Fan Comments
And as we mentioned earlier, fans didn't have many negative things to say about the trainee lawyer in a kimono this time round…
"So beautiful," gushed one fan, followed by the red heart and fire emojis. "Stunning," raved a second. "Love this whole vibe," echoed a third, followed by the fire emoji.
"This time it's appropriate," wrote a fourth, in reference to the past Skims scandal, while a fifth said: "To think Skims was almost called Kimono but I'm sure that went over everyone's head… Genius."
