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KIM Kardashian is a modern day princess: she’s social media royalty and a prominent figure in Hollywood's elite circles.
But according to PR and fashion experts, the billionaire reality star is trying to carve herself an enduring image like that of Princess Diana.
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The People’s Princess, who died in August 1997, has left an inspiring legacy thanks to her humanitarian work and influence on pop culture.
Since becoming a mum-of-four heavily involved in criminal justice reform, people have pointed out that 44-year-old Kim is trying to channel that same energy.
Why? Because Kim wants to have a similarly celebrated legacy like that of Diana, experts believe.
“Diana, Princess of Wales, is an enduring icon,” says Alison Lowe MBE, fashion consultant and course leader of MBA Fashion Entrepreneurship at the University of East London.
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“So, it’s not a surprise that Kim Kardashian would want to copy her style and seek to emulate her ability to raise the profile of social causes.”
Fans of the beauty mogul - who runs shapewear brand Skims and skincare label SKKN - have been clocking her attempts at a royal rebrand in recent years.
This particularly came into focus when she purchased Princess Diana’s famous Attallah Cross necklace, which she wore in 1987 to a charity gala.
Kim nabbed the glittering diamond and amethyst necklace for an eye-watering $200,000 (£154,161) at an auction in January 2023.
The cross has a diamond weight of 5.25 carats and is composed of square-cut amethysts and circular-cut diamonds.
The reality star wore it for the first time at the 13th Annual LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024 presented by Gucci earlier this week (November 2, 2024).
I remember exact moment I found out Diana died - & I'll never forget picture I took that day, royal photographer says
“Diana’s fashion legacy remains, and her diverse and iconic wardrobe is still relevant today,” says Alison.
“This may have inspired Kim to own the Princess’ Attallah Cross necklace.
“It could act as a means of reflecting her own evolving narrative and a way of trying to align herself with Diana’s qualities.”
Style Steal
It’s not just the vintage necklace that Kim has used to emulate Princess Diana’s vibe, though.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has also been adopting a “timeless sophistication” in her recent fashion choices.
Who is Kim Kardashian's stylist?
THE woman behind many of Kim Kardashian's iconic looks is Dani Levy, who has worked with number celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Timberlake.
Before securing her A-list clients, Dani would scoured stylist websites and bombarded them with emails and would send up to 60 a day.
She offered to work for free to get her foot in the door, but eventually started getting paid gigs.
Within months, she had her first celebrity clients, and her paths crossed with Kanye West, when she was assisting Rihanna's stylist.
Dani said: "One day he told me that Kim was in her second pregnancy and not leaving the house, and asked if I could come dress her. I went, we met, and she was amazing."
Following the divorce, Dani stayed with Kim and called her "family."
She said: "In my contract, I can work with whoever I want, but I prefer to work on one thing and give my 100 per cent."
In fact, there have been a number of occasions over the last few years when she wore dresses very similar to those in Diana’s collection.
In September 2022, she walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week in a maxi-dress nearly identical to the one Princess Diana wore to celebrate her 36th birthday in 1997.
For the Baby2Baby Gala in November 2023, Kim wore a black lace dress with long sleeves that looked very similar to Princess of Wales’ frock after attending a gala performance at the Royal Albert Hall in February 1996.
Kim also attended the Balenciaga fashion show for Paris Fashion Week in March this year wearing a similar style.
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For the OSCARS 2024 Vanity Fair Party also in March, she wore a pointed one-shoulder dress similar to that of Diana at Victor Chang Research Institute Dinner Dance in 1996.
“Princess Diana used her style to express individuality, confidence and relatability,” Alison comments.
“She often broke away from traditional expectations to create a look that was approachable and elegant.
Kim is perhaps seeking to emulate Diana’s style because it exudes timeless sophistication and versatility. These are attributes that Kim is seeking for herself as she tries to break away from her reality TV roots
Alison Lowefashion consultant and lecturer
“Kim is perhaps seeking to emulate Diana’s style because it exudes timeless sophistication and versatility.
“These are attributes that Kim is seeking for herself as she tries to break away from her reality TV roots.
"She is reshaping her public image around her business ventures, legal studies and activism.”
Humanitarian Work
Princess Diana was a prominent advocate for people with HIV/AIDS, and worked tirelessly to break the stigma surrounding the disease.
In April 1987, she made headlines when she shook hands with an HIV-positive patient without gloves at London Middlesex Hospital to challenge the incorrect belief that the disease could be spread through touch.
Kim Kardashian has been similarly challenging prejudices through her criminal justice activism in the US.
Since 2019, she has been advocating for wrongfully convicted inmates or those with unfair sentences, and even helped a number get out of prison.
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On her reality show, The Kardashians, she fights stigmas by filming herself entering prisons to speak to jailed criminals about how they are reforming themselves on the inside.
“Celebrities like Kim try to emulate Princess Diana's strong public image because Diana exemplified how to connect with people and transform that connection into influence,” Alison says.
“Diana set a precedent.
“She was one of the first public figures to use her fame to draw attention to important humanitarian issues, and she did so with sincerity and dedication.
“Kim and many others have tried to follow Diana’s example of transforming popularity into a force for good, using their platforms to address social issues or support philanthropic causes.”
Public Divorce
When Kim and rapper Kanye West filed for divorce in 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage, a media circus ensued.
This is something Princess Diana knew all too well.
She divorced King Charles, the oldest of the Queen Elizabeth II's children, in 1995 and later wore the iconic "revenge dress" which was a far cry from how royal stylists had been dressing her before.
She donned the tight off-shoulder number to a 1994 dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens - on the same night then-Prince Charles confessed his infidelity on national TV.
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According to fashion editor Amber Graafland, Kim went for a similar style overhaul following her divorce from Kanye.
Before their divorce, the rapper worked as Kim's stylist and exclusively dressed her in outfits he wanted to see her in.
Following her legal separation, she began "to trust her own styling instincts" - just like Diana.
“Post Kanye, Kim seems to have undergone a 360-degree style U-turn,” she told Fabulous last month.
“The pencil skirts are back, we are seeing a lot of pointy stilettos… and even her hair is back to its Noughties heyday.
“It's only recently that she's refound the confidence to make her own opinions, and push back on other people.
“She's been forced to trust her own styling instincts and is enjoying fashion again.”
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