Kim Kardashian isn’t backing down from her decision to name her new line of shapewear Kimono despite accusations of cultural appropriation from many Japanese, including the mayor of Kyoto.
“I am writing this letter to convey our thoughts on Kimono, and ask you to reconsider your decision of using the name Kimono in your trademark,” Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa wrote to Kardashian, in a letter posted on Facebook.
“We are currently undertaking initiatives nationally to make “Kimono Culture,” symbols of our culture and spirits, registered to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. 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.”
Kardashian has not yet publicly responded directly to the letter, but has commented on the controversy, in general. She is unmoved.
In a statement to the The New York Times , she said “I made the decision to name my company Kimono, not to disassociate the word from its Japanese roots but as a nod to the beauty and detail that goes into a garment. Filing a trademark is a source identifier that will allow me to use the word for my shapewear and intimates line but does not preclude or restrict anyone, in this instance, from making kimonos or using the word kimono in reference to the traditional garment. My solutionwear brand is built with inclusivity and diversity at its core and I’m incredibly proud of what’s to come.”
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