Kim Kardashian to change name of line due to cultural appropriation issues

The fashion industry has been finding itself in hot water regularly for issues of cultural appropriation and cultural insensitivity. The latest to stir controversy was Kim Kardashian West with the announcement of her new shapewear or solutionwear line which was originally going to be called Kimono. Once Japanese consumers found out about this the backlash began, as the kimono is a globally renowned part of Japanese culture and has immense cultural significance to the country.

Kardashian West has now responded to this by announcing she will be changing the name of her solutionwear line. She was originally praised for the inclusivity of the solutionwear line as it came in a variety of fits for all body types in addition to numerous colorways for all skin tones, but the name floundered.

Kim Kardashian West's solutionwear line to get new name

On June 28, the mayor of Kyoto Japan, Daisaku Kadokawa, wrote an open letter to Kardashian West urging her not to use the name for her new line. Rather than continuing facing backlash, the reality star took to Twitter to announce that she would be changing the name of her solutionwear line.

"My brands and products are built with inclusivity and diversity at their core and after careful thought and consideration, I will be launching my Solutionwear brand under a new name. I will be in touch soon. Thank you for your understanding and support always," Kardashian West said in a tweet.

My brands and products are built with inclusivity and diversity at their core and after careful thought and consideration, I will be launching my Solutionwear brand under a new name. I will be in touch soon. Thank you for your understanding and support always.

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) July 1, 2019

Kardashian West is not known to bow to pressure from social media, but in this case she responded accordingly. With social media known to cause its share of controversies for fashion brands considered culturally insensitive, this was a smart move.

Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images North America / AFP