What can’t be said about Kim Kardashian-West at this point? A fashion-trendsetter as well as trend magnifier, reality TV star whose dated a who’s-who of black athletes and celebrities, fans and admirers around the world can’t seem to get enough of Kim K.
Having 200 Million Instagram followers and another 68 million-plus on Twitter guarantees a lot of eyeballs, a lot of adoration; conversely, it garners its share of criticism and judgment.
Her latest fashion move is under derision with many calling it a “blackfishing” faux pas. In the series of photos and videos in question, Kardashian-West sports a darker than normal complexion, dressed in a smattering of browns, which to some degree, renders her scarcely recognizable.
Twitter users had their share of amusement at her expense. One user quote-tweeted the video with the caption, “Black girl magic… we love to see it”
Black girl magic 😍😍😍 we love to see it
— Men’s Rice Activist (@EnaPropaganDa) January 13, 2021
Another posted a zoomed-in image of her relatively colorless hand and wrote, “U must be stopped I’m sorry.”
U must be stopped I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/RV2wMVsJDe
— 824k_Jr ✪ (@824kJr) January 13, 2021
In response to Kim’s related Instagram story in which she demonstrated the use of Soulmate Lipgloss, a commenter quoted Kim’s caption in parody, “she said don’t judge her for her pale hands.”
she said don’t judge her for her pale hands 😩😂 pic.twitter.com/ljJ1lBa4mX
— auntie naz (@nazmraz) April 30, 2020
her hand said https://t.co/NpFSRUKX6J pic.twitter.com/2zNhOS9wqn
— Zack Fox (@zackfox) January 13, 2021
All of this comes during a moment in which Kim and husband Kanye West are embroiled in swath of divorce rumors. The brand of Kimye might be terminating, but the brand of Kim Kardashian and her often maligned tendency to interpolate well-worn trends from black women’s fashion to billion dollar brands is here to stay.