Kim Kardashian West has found a better fit for the name of her new shapewear line after she was accused of cultural appropriation for branding it Kimono.
"My fans and followers are a huge inspiration to me — I’m always listening to their feedback and opinions, and am so grateful they shared their ideas for a new brand name," the reality television star said in a statement posted Monday on her Instagram and Twitter accounts. "After much thought and consideration, I’m excited to announce the launch of SKIMS Solutionwear."
The line of skin tone-colored undergarments will launch Sept. 10, Kardashian West said.
She shared photos on her social media accounts of women of different shapes and skin tones wearing the brand, which is available in sizes from XXS to 5XL.
When she announced the collection in June, it inspired the hashtag #KimOhNo, and many Twitter users accused Kardashian West of cultural appropriation because kimono is a Japanese term for a particular style of robe.
The mayor of Kyoto, Japan, was among those to ask Kardashian West to reconsider using the name.
“Kimono is a traditional ethnic dress fostered in our rich nature and history with our predecessors’ tireless endeavors and studies, and it is a culture that has been cherished and passed down with care in our living," Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa, who is known for wearing kimonos while carrying out his mayoral duties, wrote in a June 28 letter to Kardashian West. "Also, it is a fruit of craftsmanship and truly symbolizes sense of beauty, spirits and values of Japanese."
Days later, Kardashian West addressed the controversy.
"When I announced the name of my shapewear line, I did so with the best intentions in mind," she said at the time.
But "after careful thought and consideration," she said she would launch her brand under a new name.
