Kim Kardashian Confirms Dramatic Diet to Wear Marilyn Monroe's Dress to Met Gala with Pete Davidson

Kim Kardashian pulled from Marilyn Monroe's fashion archive for her Met Gala debut with Pete Davidson.

All eyes were on Kardashian, 41, and Davidson, 28, as they stepped out together to close out the 2022 Met Gala red carpet. But the fashion entrepreneur's dress is what has everyone talking.

Kardashian borrowed one of Marilyn Monroe's most iconic gowns — the "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress — which has been on display in Orlando, Florida, at Ripley's Believe It or Not!. She topped off the glamorous style with diamond drop earrings and a white fur jacket.

"Well this is Marilyn Monroe's dress and it is 60 years old and she wore this when she sang 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy in 1962," Kardashian told Vogue correspondent La La Anthony on the red carpet.

For more on the 2022 Met Gala, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"I had this idea to try it on and then they came with armed guards and gloves," she continued.

But getting into the vintage gown was not an easy feat. "I tried it on and it didn't fit me. I said, 'Give me three weeks.' I had to lose 16 pounds down today," Kardashian admitted.

"It was such a challenge. It was like a [movie] role. I was determined to fit [into] it. I haven't had carbs or sugar in about three weeks. We're having pizza and donut party back at the hotel [after the Met Gala]," she added.

Getty

Designed by Jean Louis, the dress originally cost $12,000 and was reportedly so tight Monroe had to be sewn into it prior to her very sexy performance for President Kennedy on May 19, 1962 at a Madison Square Garden fundraiser, just three months before she died. Ripley's purchased the dress from Julien's Auction back in November 2016 for a whopping $4.81 million, making it one of the most expensive dresses in the world.

Kardashian truly channeled Monroe by dyeing her hair platinum blonde, styled in a sleek twisted bun, to pull together the entire look. Fans hypothesized that Kardashian would wear the dress after The Sun reported that she and Davidson visited Ripley's Believe It or Not!.

Since Monroe's gown could not be altered, Kardashian took small shuffling steps up the red carpet as Davidson, decked out in a classic black suit and sunglasses, held her hand the entire way.

"[Kardashian] didn't let me wear my propeller hat but it's fine," Davidson joked to Anthony.

John Shearer/Getty; KENA BETANCUR/getty

For her exquisite makeup, Kardashian called on her makeup artist of going on 14 years – Mario Dedivanovic. The two have collaborated on eight Met Gala looks dating back to 2014, the pro shared exclusively with People while breaking down this extra-meaningful one.

"Kim is my muse and no one inspires me quite like her, so any opportunity to work with her is very special to me," says Dedivanovic, adding that event itself is also hugely significant. "It's the Olympics of red carpets [and] my absolute favorite glam to do. The adrenaline and anticipation leading up to the event all adds to the experience. We get to create history together and I couldn't be more grateful for that opportunity."

To prep Kardashian's skin, Dedivanovic used all Augustinus Bader skincare products. "This is the most genuine partnership for me—I use the brand every day on myself and on all my clients," the pro says. "To start, I cleansed Kim's face with Augustinus Bader The Cream Cleansing Gel. Then, using a cotton pad, I applied The Essence all over her face. Once The Essence absorbed, I applied The Cream. It's my favorite product to prep the skin before any makeup application. It just works!"

Gotham/Getty

Then the pro "focused on giving her complexion a subtle luminous glow with my Makeup by Mario Master Secret Glow and monochromatic nude tones to match the dress. We went a bit lighter in tones then we normally, but we still kept a lot of our classic Kim elements like monochromatic nude tones with my Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette, a softly sculpted smokey eye with my Master Pigment Pro Pencil, nude lips with my Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme, and softly sculpted skin with my SoftSculpt Shaping Stick.

The session was a "great time," Dedivanovic says. "Kim really enjoys the process of getting her hair and makeup done" Their ritual includes: "listening to music, laughing, eating—and one thing we always do before a big event is huddle together and say a team prayer before we leave."

And this time around Kim's sister Khloé got in on the fun. I also did [her] makeup, so we started Kim's makeup in her hotel room much earlier than we normally do as I was sort of flip-flopping between them." Fun fact: We were still finishing Kim's makeup in a tent outside of the Met before she walked out onto the carpet!"

Dedivanovic says he would describe the look "modern Marilyn. To me, Kim is our modern-day Marilyn, so of course the glam was inspired by her, but it was important to me that Kim still looked like Kim. We are both huge fans of Marilyn, which made last night even more special. To be given this opportunity to do Kim's makeup while she was wearing Marilyn's actual dress is a moment I'll never forget. I really felt like Marilyn was watching over us."

Kevin Mazur/Getty

The 2022 Met Gala theme is "In America: An Anthology of Fashion," with the dress code being gilded glamour and white tie. Channeling the time period between 1870 to 1890, the event "will ask its attendees to embody the grandeur — and perhaps the dichotomy — of Gilded Age New York," per Vogue.

RELATED: Everything to Know About the 2022 Met Gala

Serving as a part two to last year's "A Lexicon of Fashion" and paying homage to American history, the official exhibit for this year's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" will be on display in the storied museum's period-centric rooms.

Fans assumed Kardashian and Davidson were waiting to make their red carpet couple debut at the Met Gala. But they surprised many when they opted to officially unveil their relationship on the red carpet at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday (only two nights before the Met Gala) in Washington, D.C.

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kardashian stunned in a form-fitting, shimmering, silver Balenciaga Couture gown, while Davidson played it cool in a black Prada suit with matching sunglasses, a skinny tie, and Vans.

Be sure to check out all of PEOPLE's Met Gala coverage to get the latest news on fashion's biggest night.

Paul Morigi/Getty

Last month, when Davidson supported Kardashian at the Los Angeles premiere of her family's new Hulu series The Kardashians, he let her have her solo moment and stayed away from the cameras. "He's here to support me and it's my thing. I don't think it's his thing to be all out here with me," Kardashian told E! News on the red carpet. "So I'm just so happy he's here to support."

However, she did tease their official red carpet debut that was to come when asked about the 2022 Met Gala.

"I'm not sure. You're going to have to wait and find out," she told Access Hollywood with a sly smile on her face. "I think we're still figuring it out."

Kardashian also gave a hint about what she had been planning for her Met Gala look, joking that this year, she wouldn't be completely covered from head-to-toe like at the 2021 Met Gala.

Shutterstock

RELATED: The Best Met Gala Best Looks of All Time

"Yes, I will be able to see this year. I am going. It really depends if I fit into my dress. So I hope I'm going. I have to wait," the star said. "I think it will be up to the last minute because it can't be tailored so I have to fit in it like exactly. So we will see if I can shape-shift for the night."

At last year's fashion event, Kardashian wore a polarizing custom Balenciaga ensemble, featuring a long-sleeve turtleneck bodysuit worn under an oversize T-shirt dress with long pleated train. The edgy outfit was complete with jersey boots, jersey gloves and a mask that covered her face and head.

Theo Wargo/Getty

RELATED: The Kardashian-Jenners' Best Met Gala Moments Over the Years

Davidson made his Met Gala debut last year in a black tunic dress by Thom Browne, layered between a white dress shirt and a white blazer trimmed in black, which he accessorized with custom Silhouette sunglasses, black boots and a variety of jewelry from Fred Leighton and Kwiat — which paid a special homage to his late father, Scott, a New York City firefighter, who died in service on September, 11, 2001. With help from Davidson's stylist Britt Theodora, Fred Leighton created custom lapel pins featuring garnet, his father's birthstone. He also wore a garnet necklace as well.

As for his outfit choice, Davidson told Vogue he was going for a "sexy nun" look.

Getty

Although Kardashian and Davidson's romance didn't blossom until after her Saturday Night Live hosting gig in Oct. 2021, the SKIMS mogul recently revealed that the two did connect inside the 2021 Met Gala.

"I saw him at the Met and he knew I was hosting SNL, but it wasn't announced yet," Kardashian said during an appearance on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast. "He came up to me and we were talking about SNL, and I was like, 'They better hurry up and announce it, because I will not back out as soon as they announce it, but I'm so nervous.'"

She went on to explain how Davidson gave her advice to calm her nerves, then offered his phone number in case she needed help as she prepared.

"I was like, 'Oh, I have gloves,' and he was like 'alright, cool' and walked away," Kardashian said of their first interaction. "But I was gonna be like, 'Oh, take mine!' But it was like, no. So we never connected or anything."

Kardashian has been linked to Davidson since last fall, when the pair were photographed holding hands in Oct. 2021 at Knott's Scary Farm in Buena Park, California. Earlier that month, they shared an onscreen kiss during Kardashian's Saturday Night Live hosting debut.

She recently said "it feels good" to date Davidson. "I think it's just in life, like no matter what it is, I just think I encourage my friends and the people that I love just to be happy. And I went for it," she said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last month. "I was like, 'You know what, I'm in my 40s like f--- it, just go for it. Find your happiness.' I went for it and I took my time. I found it and it feels so good. I want to hold on to that forever.

Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Davidson has also earned the Kardashian-Jenner family's stamp of approval.

"They enjoy having him around. He is great for Kim. He is getting to know her kids and everyone seems to be getting along," a source told PEOPLE. "Pete hasn't had any expectations. He gets that he is coming into a complex family situation. He doesn't want to complicate things."

Kardashian previously filed for divorce from Kanye West in February 2021. While the pair's legal battle is still ongoing, a judge declared the businesswoman legally single in March. The former couple also continues to co-parent children North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2½.