Kim Kardashian offends entire nation

Kim Kardashian West is being accused of “cultural appropriation” after revealing the name of her new line of shapewear: Kimono.

“Kimono”, which means “thing to wear”, is a Japanese ceremonial garment.

The long, loose robe features wide sleeves and is tied at the waist with a sash, and is usually sported at special occasions in Japan.

However, Kardashian, 38, has trademarked the word “kimono” as the name of her new lingerie brand, using it as a pun on her first name Kim — and the internet has a lot to say about it.

Shortly after announcing the launch of Kimono, Twitter blew up with people accusing the reality star of being “arrogant” and calling the decision “vile”.

Those outraged by the name even coined a hashtag “KimOhNo” (as a play on the pronunciation of the word), while other Twitter users defended the mother-of-four amid the backlash.
 

Naming your product/startup with Japanese words might seem hip and all, but it really sucks for us when our culture is diluted by names of brands that don't have anything to do with what the word actually represents.
And better yet, trademarking it? F NO.https://t.co/8pFaEGdXI2

— Yuka Ohishi (@0oyukao0) June 25, 2019

A VULGAR THIEF
She steals and destroys our culture. Kimono is one of our precious culture which have been grown for long time by us. Beautiful traditional garment is not for her. IT'S OURS.

Kim Kardashian West's Kimono underwear meets Japanese backlash https://t.co/AQBkem0u7j

— まちこちゃんはごきげん (@bwPjbGrMSesWwQV) June 26, 2019

This is my kimono.
Not your underwear.#kimonosheila#KimOhNo#kimono@KimKardashian pic.twitter.com/nOr2Sj0iIW

— Sheila Cliffe (@kimonosheila) June 26, 2019

Nice underwear, but as a Japanese woman who loves 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

— Yuko Kato (@yukokato1701) June 26, 2019

One is KIMONO. One is Kim shamelessly selling a line of shapewear. Which y’all don’t need. #kimono pic.twitter.com/RC3vuA4dd1

— Tamlyn Tomita (@thetamlyntomita) June 25, 2019

Kim Kardashian is facing backlash for her new shapewear line @kimonobody, with many people saying the brand name disrespects the Japanese kimono. https://t.co/TRnMMRzs8q

— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) June 26, 2019

Me wearing A #KIMONO with hakama for my graduation???
Very sad to hear @kimkardashian has trademarked “Kimono” for her new underwear line? #KimOhNo pic.twitter.com/ET5iVojTYa

— Emi?草野絵美 (@emikusano) June 26, 2019

Hate this KKK line of shamewear. There is nothing outstanding here. Sarah Blakely did it first - as an ORIGINAL. Stealing & monetizing the word “kimono” a Japanese cultural treasure is most offensive. But what do I expect from someone who hangs out w/ Trump? Vile.

— LatinaChic ? (@LatinaChic1337) June 26, 2019

Kardashian has yet to respond to backlash but this is not the first time she has been accused of cultural appropriation.

In 2018, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was slammed for wearing Fulani braids and was recently called out for wearing traditional Indian gold maang tikka jewellery.

Yesterday, Kim, 38, announced her next business move as the size-inclusive collection of control garments dubbed “Kimono”. It followed the lawyer-in-the-making’s launch of her KKW Beauty body foundation.

Kardashian is calling her new business venture “solutionwear”, rather than “shapewear”, and it will be sold in sizes XXS to 4XL in a similar model to Rihanna’s lingerie brand, Savage x Fenty.

“Kimono is my take on shapewear and solutions for women that actually work,” she told US Vogue.
 

“I would always cut up my shapewear to make my own styles, and there have also been so many times I couldn’t find a shapewear colour that blended with my skin tone, so we needed a solution for all of this.”
 

The collection includes a pair of control-wear shorts, with one side shorter than the other, which Kardashian said she “developed … for all of those times I wanted to wear a dress or skirt with a slit and still needed the support”.

Kardashian off her toned figure in New York today, sporting a LBD and a pair of perspex heeled thongs to lunch at Carbone in Greenwich Village, possibly also wearing her “solutionwear” underneath.

Not that you could tell … and that’s exactly the point.