To celebrate her 43rd birthday, Kim Kardashian draped her curves in Balenciaga.
The TV personality donned the luxury label’s red cutout stretch-knit maxi dress, which retails for $4,200 online, at her intimate Los Angeles celebration on Friday, October 21.
The figure-flattering garment debuted on Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2023 runway and is made from a “stretchy swimwear fabric,” per MyTheresa.com. The frock gives the illusion of a bikini thanks to the stringy halter construction and triangle-like bodice. The rest of the look is equipped with ruched panels “knotted together,” creating “alluring cutouts,” the retailer explained in the item’s description.
On her big day, Kardashian teamed the piece with dark sunglasses and a black mini bag. For glam, she opted for warm eyeshadow, rosy cheeks and lined lips. She wore her jet black mane in waves and topped off her ensemble with milky acrylic nails.
Kardashian’s decision to sport Balenciaga comes after she resumed wearing the brand in April following the fashion house’s controversial teddy bear ad.
After the company released the campaign — that featured children posing with BDSM-inspired stuffed animals as well as an excerpt from a Supreme Court case on child pornography — Kardashian, who became the face of the brand earlier this year, said she was reevaluating their relationship. She then proceeded to break her months-long Balenciaga streak with labels like Rick Owens, Reform and Magda Butrym in the wake of the scandal.
“I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns,” Kardashian wrote via Twitter at the time. “But because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.”
Kardashian — shares daughters North, 10, and Chicago, 5, and sons Saint, 7, and Psalm, 4, with ex-husband Kanye West — continued: “As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.”
She concluded, “I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.”
Kardashian spoke out again during a December 2022 episode of the “Angie Martinez IRL” podcast. “As soon as I saw what everyone was seeing on the internet and the reality of the situation I completely spoke out and gave my thoughts on child pornography. I completely denounced it,” she said.
Demna, Balenciaga’s creative director, addressed the situation that same month, sharing: “I want to personally apologize for the wrong artistic choice of concept for the gifting campaign with the kids. I take my responsibility. It was inappropriate to have kids promote objects that had nothing to do with them.” He went on to explain that while he often tries to “provoke” thought through his work, he “would NEVER have an intention to do that with such an awful subject as child abuse that I condemn. Period.”
He concluded the statement, explaining that he is committed to learning from the “mistake” and hopes to work with child protection organizations “to know how I can contribute and help on this terrible subject.”
