"There's no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture"
Kim Kardashian West has been criticised by Japanese people for her new ‘Kimono Intimates’ shapewear line.
The BBC reports that people in Japan have been angered by Kim Kardashian West’s new ‘Kimono Intimates’ shapewear line.
The kimono dates back to 15th century Japan and is a national dress of the country, worn on special occasions.
Launched on Tuesday, the new brand’s underwear “celebrates and enhances the shape and curves of women.” It offers a collection of skin tone-coloured shapewear that provides “solutions for women that actually work”.
Kardashian West said there were “so many times I couldn’t find a shapeware color that blended with my skin tone so we needed a solution for all of this”.
‘Kimono Body’, ‘Kimono Intimites’ and ‘Kimono World’ were trademarked by Kardashian West.
Many were not impressed by the reality star’s new brand.
“We wear kimonos to celebrate health, growth of children, engagements, marriages, graduations, at funerals. It’s celebratory wear and passed on in families through the generations,” Japanese woman Yuka Ohishi said to the BBC.
“The [aesthetic] of the kimono is graceful, elegant and gentle. It is not overtly revealing or figure-hugging. It wraps the wearer so they are not exposed,” Prof Sheila Cliffe from the Jumonji Women’s University told the BBC.
“If I made a bra and called it a sari… some people would be very annoyed. It shows extreme disrespect… [the Kimono] is an expression of Japanese identity. That word does not belong to Kim Kardashian.”
“[This] shapewear doesn’t even resemble a kimono – she just chose a word that has Kim in it – there’s no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture.”
Japanese social media users also expressed their frustration at the clothign line, sparking the hashtag #KimOhNo.
“She’s been to Japan many times. I’m shocked. She has no respect,” one person tweeted in Japanese.
“I like Kim Kardashian, but please pick a name other than Kimono if it’s underwear,” wrote another.
“These are my grandmother’s kimonos. Some of these are dyed and embroidered by herself. When I was child, I loved watching she embroidered on kimono cloth. My grandmother who makes beautiful embroidery is also beautiful and I always felt it magical. #KimOhNo,” tweeted another person.