Kim Kardashian courted controversy when she first announced her plans to launch a line of shapewear called Kimono. Despite initially standing her ground, she later apologized and said she was going to launch the line with a brand new name. She said her intention behind the name was completely "innocent" in an interview with the Wall Street Journal Magazine.
"You would think we would have obviously thought it through a little bit deeper," she explained. "I’m the first person to say, ‘Okay, of course, I can’t believe we didn’t think of this.’ I obviously had really innocent intentions. But, let’s listen. And I want to really listen. And I want to really take it all in."
Shortly after she filed a trademark application for the word "kimono," a traditional Japanese garment, she was asked by Kyoto's mayor Daisaku Kodakawa to not go through with it.
Kim explained that she has a huge love and respect for Japan and its culture, and that Kanye West "was in Japan when all of this was happening." She added, "It's a place that we love and go to. I have such respect."
Kanye was responsible for the initial logo for Kimono, which will no longer be used when the shapewear line launches under a different name.
It has been noted that other products in the U.S. have the word trademarked the word for other uses, but she said, "There might be more eyes on me and my brand."
Kardashian hasn't decided on a new name for the brand.
