Kim Kardashian West, the popular American media personality,
described by her critics and admirers of being 'famous for
being famous' was recently in news this June after receiving a
wave of backlash on social media against the decision to name her
new shapewear line "Kimono" which is also a traditional
Japanese robe garment.
The issue is related to Kim's lingerie brand, KIMONO-a new
line of shapewear and the wider problem of fashion's cultural
appropriation. The brand website explains that Kimono is "a
new, solution focused approach to shape enhancing underwear"
and "fueled by her (Kim's) passion to create truly
considered and
highly technical solutions for everybody".
[1] The name of the brand is obviously a clever
(some would say deliberately inventive) play on words with
Kardashian's first name, but a huge uproar has erupted online
with regards to the fact that the brand is named after the
traditional Japanese garment, the venerable
