Kim Kardashian West is controversy’s favourite child. Besides sandals, she’s always surrounded by scandals. The latest is that she has rubbed the Japanese the wrong way by launching a shapewear brand and naming it ‘Kimono’. The fashion influencer announced her new shapewear collection, called Kimono, on social media, and users instantly started calling attention to its name.
Kim wrote on Twitter along with the pictures from the latest venture — “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.”
Kimono as everyone is aware, is a traditional Japanese formal robe. Fingers are being pointed at Kim for using the name of a traditional garment to advertise her less-than-traditional, American shapewear line. But then, this is not the first time that Kim has been accused of cultural appropriation.
A handful of users explained that Kimono may be a cheeky name, considering ‘Kim’ is in the word, but that doesn’t make it alright to appropriate the name of cultural apparel. Because Kim is not of Asian descent, it sparked questions as to why would she involve an Asian term into her own brand’s advertising. A Twitter user wrote: “Nice underwear, but as a Japanese woman who love 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.”
Others noted that the reality TV star seems to have blatant disrespect for other cultures. Many commented on her past run-ins with cultural appropriation, as well as a similar history from members of her family. Some also complained that Kardashian West’s advertisement photos don’t show enough body sizes to be accurately promoting a shapewear company.
