Kim Kardashian’s style has evolved tremendously through the years — and estranged husband Kanye West plays a role in her transformation. Well before the Skims founder, 41, sat front row wearing Balmain at Paris fashion week, she was partying with Paris Hilton, wearing eye-catching prints she wouldn’t be caught dead in these days.
West’s influence on the mom of four’s style started in 2012. You might recall when the Yeezy mastermind famously overhauled Kardashian’s designer-filled closet during an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. The couple had just gone public about their romance, yet West was unafraid to hold back in critiquing his girlfriend’s wardrobe.
In the years that followed her closet purge, Kardashian underwent a style transformation, in which she ditched over-the-top prints and accessories for more subdued, timeless styles. “I really think that my relationship with my husband Kanye changed everything,” she told CNN Style in 2016. “I mean, back in the day, I thought I had the best style. I look back at outfits and I’m, like, mortified.”
More recently, West has influenced what she’s worn on the red carpet. Ahead of the 2019 Met Gala, he convinced her to remove an element of her Thierry Mugler dress that he didn’t like because he deemed it “too sexy.” This comment polarized fans, but nonetheless, she revealed she agreed with him on an episode of The Real. “We were having this conversation of just, what is too much?” she told the hosts. “And I am a mother of four and I am going to be 40 next year. When is it time to stop?”
West and Kardashian split in February after six years of marriage. Even amid divorce, though, the “Gold Digger” hitmaker’s influence on the entrepreneur remains apparent. Even though she attended the 73rd Met Gala without her ex, she wore an elusive all-black ensemble seemingly inspired by his album, Donda.
Ahead, Us Weekly’s Stylish breaks down nine different ways West has influenced Kardashian’s style transformation over the years. Keep scrolling for a trip back in time!
