Kim Kardashian Slams Fast Fashion Brands for Knocking Off Her Looks: 'It's Devastating to See'
People often say imitation is the best form of flattery, but Kim Kardashian West isn’t here for the copycats.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star has become known for wearing one-of-a-kind custom designs and vintage pieces straight from high fashion labels’ archives. But with Kardashian West’s more than 127 million Instagram followers jumping at the chance to channel their inner KKW, fast fashion brands — which produce inexpensive clothing for the mass-market in response to trends — started copying her looks and selling them almost immediately after she steps out wearing them.
Though she jokingly called out fast fashion companies on her Instagram before, after Kardashian West’s vintage 1998 Thierry Mugler got ripped off by Fashion Nova less than 24 hours after she wore it to the Hollywood Beauty Awards, she had enough. And she let out all her feelings in a lengthy Twitter rant on Tuesday.
“It’s devastating to see these fashion companies rip off designs that have taken the blood, sweat and tears of true designers who have put their all into their own original ideas,” Kardashian West said in a lengthy thread on Twitter.
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“I’ve watched these companies profit off my husband’s work for years and now that it’s also affecting designers who have been so generous to give me access to their beautiful works, I can no longer sit silent,” the reality star said.
It’s devastating to see these fashion companies rip off designs that have taken the blood, sweat and tears of true designers who have put their all into their own original ideas.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
I’ve watched these companies profit off my husband’s work for years and now that it’s also affecting designers who have been so generous to give me access to their beautiful works, I can no longer sit silent.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
She continued, “Only two days ago, I was privileged enough to wear a one-of-a-kind vintage Mugler dress and in less than 24 hours it was knocked off and thrown up on a site – but it’s not for sale. You have to sign up for a waitlist because the dress hasn’t even been made to sell yet.”
Only two days ago, I was privileged enough to wear a one-of-a-kind vintage Mugler dress and in less than 24 hours it was knocked off and thrown up on a site - but it's not for sale. You have to sign up for a waitlist because the dress hasn’t even been made to sell yet.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
Kardashian West then shut down the internet rumors circulating that have accused the star of working in cahoots with fast fashion brands and tipping them off to what she plans on wearing.
This is a way to get people to sign up for their mailing list and make people believe there is some kind of relationship between me and this fashion site. There is not.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
“My relationships with designers are very important to me. It’s taken me over a decade to build them and I have a huge amount of respect for the amount of work that they put into bringing their ideas to life,” Kardashian West continued.
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She added, “I often plan for weeks, sometimes months, and even a year in advance, and I’m grateful for every fashion moment those designers and their dresses have helped me create.”
My relationships with designers are very important to me. It's taken me over a decade to build them and I have a huge amount of respect for the amount of work that they put into bringing their ideas to life.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
I often plan for weeks, sometimes months, and even a year in advance, and I’m grateful for every fashion moment those designers and their dresses have helped me create.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
Kardashian West ended her fast fashion shutdown by giving her fans a piece of advice: “So, as always, don’t believe everything you read and see online. I don’t have any relationships with these sites. I’m not leaking my looks to anyone, and I don’t support what these companies are doing.”
So, as always, don’t believe everything you read and see online. I don’t have any relationships with these sites. I’m not leaking my looks to anyone, and I don’t support what these companies are doing.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 19, 2019
The $49.99 “Winning Beauty Cutout Gown” sold out within minutes on the Fashion Nova website.
Fashion Nova maintains that while they have not collaborate with Kardashian West on any of the look-a-like dresses, they will continue to seek fashion inspiration from the star’s wardrobe.
“Fashion Nova is an ultra-fast fashion brand that is capable of executing design within hours and believes in fairness in pricing. We strive to offer our customers affordable leading trends,” a rep for the brand shared in a statement with PEOPLE, adding, “We respect the fashion community and work with a variety of vendors, designers, influencers and celebrities to keep our style offering fresh and relevant. Kim Kardashian West is one of the top fashion icons in the world that our customers draw inspiration from. However, we have not worked with Kim Kardashian West directly on any of her projects but have been driven by her influential style.”
Earlier this month, Kardashian West posted this pic of a metallic gold gown Kanye made for her, which she ultimately chose not to wear (yet!), the star begged fast fashion brands not to knock it off. “P.S. fast fashion brands, can you please wait until I wear this in real life before you knock it off? ,” she jokingly wrote on Instagram.
But sadly for Kim, some brands just don’t want to wait. Online fashion retailer Missguided replied only two hours after Kim shared her photo saying, “The devil works hard but Missguided works harder ]]>👀
