Reality TV star Kim Kardashian wowed fans at the recent Met Gala by wearing an iconic Marilyn Monroe dress, but the lock of hair from the blonde bombshell given to the 41-year-old for the event has been called a fake by an expert.
The outfit was loaned by Ripley’s Believe it Or Not! Museum, in Orlando, who also supplied the platinum-coloured tresses. They claim the hair was cut just before her legendary Happy Birthday serenade of President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in May 1962.
According to Ripley’s’ initial description, the "lock was clipped by her hairstylist Robert Champion just prior to her performance".
But historian Scott Fortner, who keeps the world’s largest private collection of Monroe’s property and archives, has poured water on the claims of Ripley’s, insisting on Instagram he has a receipt to prove it’s a fake.
He also alleged that Champion never touched a hair on Monroe’s head that infamous night.
He said: “It was actually the one and only ‘Mr. Kenneth’ (Kenneth Battelle) who had the honours. Battelle is responsible for Marilyn’s famous hairstyle from that night, as documented by a receipt from Lilly Dache Beauty Salon.
"The receipt, dated May 25, 1962, lists a ‘Hair Dress’ and references May 18 and 19, 1962. May 19th was the date of the Kennedy gala and the bottom of the receipt reads, ‘Kenneth Services at home Fri + Saturday.’
“Marilyn paid $150 for the service."
Ripley’s note that the lock from the starlet’s signature blonde bob was “authenticated by John Reznikoff, one of the most respected and trusted experts in the field of hair collecting”.
Ripley’s, meanwhile, clarified their description of the lock of hair, as well as a “second, separate” lock that was displayed only in her Met Gala dressing room — neither of which can be decidedly associated with JFK’s birthday.
The museum maintains that both locks are authentic, however, they’ve conceded that they cannot prove the lock originally belonging to Champion was taken before the MSG show.
“Paul Fraser Collectibles sold the hair in 2019,” Fortner explained.
“Their description for the lot: ‘Just hours before her performance, Monroe visited her personal hairdresser Robert Champion at the Coiffures Americana Beauty Salon, housed within the luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue’.
“One could assume the hair given to KK was part of this lot of hair that was cut by Robert Champion ‘just prior to her MSG performance’. News Flash: Robert Champion did not cut and style Marilyn’s hair for the JFK gala.”
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