Kim Kardashian Shares Her New Line of Shapewear Called Kimono, Faces Backlash for Cultural Appropriation

Kim Kardashian West is facing backlash over her latest line of shapewear, which is called Kimono. Taking to social media on Tuesday, Kardashian revealed that her new line of body hugging shapewear is targeted towards working women and sharing her pictures, in which she can be seen wearing the freshly designed garments, Kardashian wrote, "Finally I can share with you guys this project that I have been developing for the last year. I’ve been passionate about this for 15 years. Kimono is my take on shapewear and solutions for women that actually work. See post here:

However, Japanese people called Kardashian out for misrepresenting their traditional outfits by naming her brand Kimono. The kimono is a loose, long-sleeved robe typically tied with a sash. In the culture of Japan, the costume dates back to 15th Century. The dress is mostly mostly worn during special occasions, like marriages and has deep association with the Japanese people.

Sharing her displeasure over Kardashian's shapewear, a Japanese woman wrote on Twitter, "Or, are you intentionally taking a Japanese word of specific and extreme cultural significance, stripping away its meaning, and appropriating it for your brand? I do hope not, but intentional or otherwise, that will be the result. That’s why many Japanese are crying foul (sic)."

She followed it up with another set of remarks like, "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 (sic)."

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