Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift (her sometimes frenemy, but more often, nemesis) are arguably the two most famous women in America. For all their differences, the pair keep their fans interested in everything from the makeup they’re wearing to the “squad” they’re spending time with, documenting everything in detail on social media. But despite their fame and their millions of followers, an impending backlash has been brewing. For Swift, the backlash came courtesy of her fans jumping ship after Kanye’s leaked tape; for Kardashian, the fashion world that despite initial hesitation finally embraced her, seems to now be done with the reality star.
After the West/Swift row, Kardashian’s troubles really kicked in with the Paris robbery. On the scene, fashion editors and magazine contributors were quoted anonymously by The Hollywood Reporter, and it wasn’t pretty. They wondered aloud whether she gave away her location with her incessant social media posting, or if she had been drinking, even though Kardashian notoriously abstains. It was the ultimate victim blaming.
Then, Jezebel interviewed publicists to figure out if the entire ordeal was a hoax. “The one misstep is the lack of a statement from her rep confirming that she’s home safe and would appreciate privacy at this time. To not acknowledge it only fuels the theories that this was fabricated as a plot point for the show,” one publicist who prefers to remain anonymous told the Observer.
Finally, the fashion world seemed to be turning their back on the woman they once made famous. Carine Roitfeld, who helped give the Kardashian family legitimacy in the fashion world looks like she might be leaving them behind. Six days ago Roitfeld posted a front row photo of the women on Instagram captioned, “Karine, Kim, Kourtney, Kris:Keeping up!” But four days ago, Roitfeld posted a photo of herself turning away from the camera, holding a huge joint captioned, “Mood of the night.” The inference was that whatever was going on in the Paris fashion world at that moment was of no concern to her. “I couldn’t care less” was the vibe.
Even Balmain, the brand most closely associated with the Kardashian family, has been throwing shade. In Balmain’s first ever Instagram story, a French fan lists all of the models she wants to see, including Kendall. The creator of the story listed every name she announced, including Kendall…and then crossed it out.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/698699904303132672
Karl Lagerfeld famously told the Associated Press that Kardashian was being too flashy with her wealth, essentially faulting her for the $10 million heist. But he did bring up one interesting topic. Why was Kardashian alone in her hotel room, with her lone security guard accompanying her sister, instead? One would think the most famous family in the world (other than the royals) would have more than one security guard on call, especially when traveling abroad. An easy answer might be that Kanye West’s debt is real, which means they can’t afford around-the-clock security.
After West tweeted in February, announcing he’s $53 million in debt, most fans didn’t believe him. Simply look at the Kardashian’s closets for proof. But West has written about the debt he faced when he went into fashion. He might have been a fashion darling in recent years, embraced by Anna Wintour and Roitfeld, but before that, his designs were notoriously shunned. And now, the tide has turned yet again. Not only was his Season 4 show panned by critics, his lyrics are being picked apart, as well. Most recently, his “Famous” demo was leaked, and the original lyrics are far more offensive. He raps that both Taylor Swift and ex-girlfriend Amber Rose both “owe me sex.”
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The Monday morning after the attack, Kardashian looked fresh and glamorous as she emerged from her car after flying back from Paris, which didn’t help the backlash. Her face and neck bore no signs of a struggle or mouth gag but the star may have been covering her bruises, of course. Nor did she seem tearful or distressed in any way, despite the ordeal of less than 36 hours before. But shortly after, reports were leaked that Keeping Up with the Kardashians was on hold indefinitely and that Kardashian had been blaming herself. While the majority of the Kardashian family went silent on social media after the incident, youngest sister Kylie Jenner, who seems to have given up on breaking into high fashion was the first to emerge on Instagram. And of course, it wasn’t just a quick photo of her day. Instead, she premiered rose gold hair that every women’s site covered extensively. Slightly more tastefully, Kourtney tweeted a passage from devotional book.
The youngest Jenner doesn’t seem to be the only non-Kardashian sister making headlines. Kendall Jenner was barely spotted during Fashion Week, while Bella and Gigi have starred on runways and in campaigns. Bella, by fashion standards, really seems to have the indefinable it-factor required for model superstardom. And Gigi Hadid was applauded for how she faced the same attacker Kim Kardashian dealt with, after speaking out in an essay posted in Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter. There is speculation of a Hadid-Jenner feud brewing. Kendall’s appearance in Marchesa at the Harper’s Bazaar Icons Party may provide a clue. It is rumored in certain circles that starlets dreaming of a part in a Harvey Weinstein (Mr Georgina Chapman of Marchesa) movie are encouraged to choose Marchesa for runway and red carpet appearances. Could be that Kendall is following good friend Cara Delevingne down the movie path, in an attempt to escape fashion’s nasty clutches. As in hands, not bags, by the way….
There’s no reason to blame Kim Kardashian for her jewelry heist. The reality star is now questioning her family’s continued presence on television. But it seems like the entire ordeal gave the fashion world pause, and caused them to rethink their working relationship with her. It’s unclear if the family will continue the show—and whether the fashion world will still be watching, if they do.
