"The dress was in the same condition": Ripley's denies claims of Kim Kardashian ruining Marilyn Monroe dress

American businesswoman Kim Kardashian did not damage the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress she wore at the 2022 Met Gala event, as per Ripley's Believe It or Not!

On June 16, the franchise company took to its Instagram handle to address its decision to loan the dress to the 41-year-old star, who wore it for mere minutes while posing with boyfriend Pete Davidson on the red carpet before changing into its replica.

In a statement on Instagram, Ripley's said that Kim Kardashian "did not, in any way damage" the dress in the short time that she donned it at the event. It added:

"Our mission is to both entertain and educate, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe's dress does just that. No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. An entirely new group of young people have now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe."

Amanda Joiner, the Vice President of Publishing and Licensing for Ripley's Entertainment, said:

"From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in."

At a Julien's Auctions event in 2016, the Ripley's Believe It Or Not! museum in Orlando, Florida, bought the outfit from its former owner for $4.8 million.

A quality assessment of the garment done the following year, according to the firm, stated that multiple seams had been torn and worn.

"This is not surprising given how delicate the material is. There is puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes."

The gown has been on display at the Hollywood location of Ripley's Believe It or Not! since the Met Gala 2022, where the now-viral photographs of its ripped seams were captured.

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Kim Kardashian had lost lots of weight to fit into iconic dress

Previously, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum said she struggled to get into the gown and lost 16 pounds in three weeks. While talking to Vogue, she said:

"I always thought [Marilyn] was extremely curvy. I imagined I might be smaller in some places where she was bigger and bigger in places where she was smaller. So when it didn't fit me, I wanted to cry because it can't be altered at all."

Kim stated that she is "extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history" and that she had to rehearse going up the stairs to avoid harming it.

Kim Kardashian drew strong criticism last week after dress collector Scott Fortner posted close-up photographs of the sparkly damaged gown on social media.

In the images, the dress was spotted with numerous lost crystals and pulled fabric along with the zip. Fortner claimed that the incident occurred due to Kim Kardashian's struggle to squeeze into the gown.

The caption of the post read:

"Just in case you missed it - missing crystals, and some left hanging by a thread. Ripley's Believe It or Not, was it worth it?"

Marilyn Monroe first wore the legendary gown in 1962 to serenade then-President John F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday.