"The dress was in the same condition it started in."

Kim Kardashian did not return Marilyn Monroe’s dress damaged after wearing it to the Met Gala, Ripley's Believe It Or Not has said. The museum, which owns the iconic gown, issued a statement on Thursday definitively stating that the reality TV star did not damage it in "short amount of time it was worn". “From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim got into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress was in the same condition it started in,” noted Ripley’s VP of Publishing and Licensing, Amanda Joiner. The museum said it will "continue to exhibit the dress - in as-is condition - at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Hollywood through Fall 2022". It also noted that the 41-year-old did not pay Ripley’s to wear it and instead donated to two charities in the greater Orlando area on behalf of the company. Earlier this week, photos of the dress circulated online showing signs of tearing, and several crystals are missing or hanging off - with many blaming Kim for the damage. However, a 2017 report on the condition of the dress says: "A number of the seams are pulled and worn. This is not surprising given how delicate the material is." At that time, there was already "puckering at the back by the hooks and eyes". In recent months, Kim has been met with intense criticism online for donning the historic ensemble on the red carpet - due to the fact it was famously custom made for Marilyn when she sang Happy Birthday to US President John F Kennedy in 1962. Several historians previously condemned the decision as "irresponsible".  The star sparked even more backlash when she revealed that she had gone on an extreme diet to lose 16 pounds in 3 weeks so she could fit into the dress.