Kim Kardashian’s 'Kimono' Shapewear Line Criticized for Appropriating Japanese Culture

The new Kimono line features campaign images by Vanessa Beecroft and a logo by Kanye West, but what's the deal with the name?

kim
Getty

Image via Getty/Alex Wong

kim

There's been another development in the Kardashianverse, and—as is standard issue at this point—there's also a great deal of subsequent criticism to speak of.

Kim Kardashian, per the Los Angeles Times, has Kimono and related variants (Kimono Body, Kimono Intimates, Kimono World) among an assortment of filed trademarks still awaiting review. Tuesday, she announced the launch of Kimono "solutionwear" with a message shouting out campaign photographer (and frequent Kanye West collaborator) Vanessa Beecroft. West designed the new brand's logo.

Finally I can share with you guys this project that I have been developing for the last year.
I’ve been passionate about this for 15 years.

Kimono is my take on shapewear and solutions for women that actually work.

Photos by Vanessa Beecroft pic.twitter.com/YAACrRltX3

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) June 25, 2019

Characterizing her latest creation as "a new approach" to the crafting of shapewear Tuesday, Kardashian recalled the years she spent having to cutup shapewear to form her own styles, with limited color selection only adding to the difficulty that ultimately inspired the Kimono move.

An official Kimono Instagram account, which has already amassed more than 100,000 followers, offers a deeper dive into the looks:

Following the news, many were less-than-enthused by the choice of name, given that the kimono in the classical sense already exists as a traditional Japanese garment, one that's notably also become a fashion staple in recent years favored by West himself and others in various incarnations.

BBC News Japanese editor Yuko Kato, for example, was an early critic of the line's name and asked Kardashian to reconsider naming the "nice underwear" after the garment.

Nice underwear, but as a Japanese woman who loves to wear our traditional dress,👘 kimono, I find the naming of your products baffling (since it has no resemblance to kimono), if not outright culturally offensive, especially if it’s merely a word play on your name. Pls reconsider

— Yuko Kato (@yukokato1701) June 26, 2019

Basically, what you’re doing is creating a line of underwear and calling them, ‘traditional Japanese garments’. Is that what you’re aiming for? 👘

— Yuko Kato (@yukokato1701) June 26, 2019

Or, are you intentionally taking a Japanese word of specific and extreme cultural significance, stripping away its meaning, and appropriating it for your brand? I do hope not, but intentional or otherwise, that will be the result. That’s why many Japanese are crying foul.

— Yuko Kato (@yukokato1701) June 26, 2019

The criticism has continued, even inspiring the well-punned hashtag #KimOhNo. At the time of this writing, Kardashian had not addressed the pushback.

Our traditional garment is not spandex. It is not a beach cover up.
It is not something you should use to make a cute pun with your name and slap on a trademark.

— yukaccy.eth (@yukaccy) June 25, 2019

Hi can you send this link out? We need to protest @uspto so that Kim doesn’t get the trademark approved. This is absolutely not ok https://t.co/AdW7I7Uy6O

— firenicecream (@MYTVPC) June 26, 2019

Kimono: has a centuries long rich history and is deeply embedded in the traditions and culture of a country.

Kim Kardashian: OMg It hAs mY nAmE iN iT!#Kimohno

— Kyla Hsia (@kylahsia) June 26, 2019

Kimono is not underwear.
It is Japanese traditional outfit.#kimono #KimOhNo pic.twitter.com/kdfbMr9geB

— ぬえ🦅 (@yosinotennin) June 26, 2019

Me wearing A #KIMONO with hakama for my graduation👘🎓🌸
Very sad to hear @kimkardashian has trademarked “Kimono” for her new underwear line😭 #KimOhNo pic.twitter.com/ET5iVojTYa

— Emi Kusano🌠 (@emikusano) June 26, 2019

Latest in Pop Culture