Following immense backlash, both from Japan and the whole world, Kim Kardashian has changed the name of her formally named ‘Kimono’ shapewear.
After the whole world, including the Mayor of Kyoto himself, shared with Kardashian the offensive absurdity of calling her ‘Solutionwear’ line ‘Kimono’ the celeb caved in and said she’d muster up a new name.
After a near two month wait, Kardashian, perhaps skimming the bottom of the barrel for names, has finally announced she will name her line as ‘SKIMS’. We applaud Kardashian for still finding a way to fit her name into the brand, while finding something quite literally fitting for the product. We also applaud her for not opting for ‘KimChi’ as we previously said we were worried about.
She took to Instagram to explain that:
My fans and followers are a huge inspiration to me – I’m always listening to their feedback and opinions, and am so grateful they shared their ideas for a new brand name. After much thought and consideration, I’m excited to announce the launch of @SKIMS Solutionwear™ coming September 10.
Kardashian’s aspiration was to create an inclusive shapewear solution for all ladies, regardless of size or body type. Her initial naming ‘Kimono’ however did the opposite. Many people felt that naming her shapewear after the culturally significant kimono was incentive and cultural appropriation.
Mayor of Kyoto, Daisaku Kadokawa wrote a formal letter, explaining that:
“[The] Kimono is a traditional ethnic dress fostered in our rich nature and history with our predecessors’ tireless endeavors and studies, and it is a culture that has been cherished and passed down with care in our living… We think that the names for “Kimono” are the asset shared with all humanity who love Kimono and its culture, therefore, they should not be monopolized.”
You can check out the rebranded website here.
