The owners of the Marilyn Monroe dress that Kim Kardashian infamously donned for this year's Met Gala have dismissed claims that she damaged the gown.
Reality TV star Kardashian made headlines when she wore the exact same glittery garment that Monroe wore to serenade President Kennedy in 1962.
Many people criticized the decision to loan out the dress, which racked up $4.8 million at auction, and is the most expensive gown ever sold.
However, Ripley's Believe it or Not! - who bought the dress in 2016 - have defended their decision to let Kardashian wear it, and claimed that it did not sustain any damage during it's outing on the red carpet.
"Kim Kardashian’s walk up the Metropolitan Museum’s stairs at this year’s Met Gala caused quite the stir, but one thing Ripley’s Believe It or Not! can say with confidence is that it did not cause damage to Marilyn Monroe’s famed 'Happy Birthday' dress from 1962," the company said on Thursday per The Guardian.
"From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in," they added.
They went on to say that the debate around the dress had actually had a positive impact on cultural conservation.
"Our mission is to both entertain and educate visitors and fans, and sparking conversations like the discourse around Marilyn Monroe’s dress does just that," they continued, adding:
"No matter which side of the debate you are on, the historical importance of the dress has not been negated, but rather highlighted. An entirely new group of young people has now been introduced to the legacy of Marilyn Monroe."
Ripleys' comments come after collector Scott Fortner took to Instagram earlier this week, to reveal what he claimed was damage Kardashian's stint in the dress had caused.
Sharing side-by-side snaps of the gown supposedly before and after it was re-worn, Fortner alleging that there are now crystals missing and falling off the precious item.
"Just in case you missed it - missing crystals, and some left hanging by a thread," he wrote.
The collector went on to call out Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, who were in charge of loaning Kim the dress. "So much for keeping 'the integrity of the dress and the preservation.'@ripleysbelieveitornot, was it worth it?" he questioned.
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