How North West Saved Mom Kim Kardashian's Met Gala 2023 Dress

Mother of pearl! Kim Kardashian wasn't fazed by her wardrobe malfunction at the 2023 Met Gala. See how she handled her pearl-beaded dress ripping off.

By Alyssa Morin May 02, 2023 5:07 PMTags
Watch: How North West Saved Kim Kardashian's Met Gala 2023 Dress

Kim Kardashian, you're doing amazing sweetie.

There's no denying The Kardashians star made a showstopping appearance at the 2023 Met Gala in a custom Schiaparelli gown embellished with 50,000 freshwater pearls that draped over her décolletage and from the hips downward. A form-fitting corset served as the middle piece, while she accessorized with a white floor-length shawl, matching heels and a chandelier choker necklace. (See every swoon-worthy arrival here.)

However, after leaving the fashion event on May 1, the SKIMS founder quite literally had to clutch her pearls as the bottom half of her dress broke apart with strands of pearls ripping off and scattering all over the ground.

But in true Kim fashion, she handled the wardrobe malfunction like a pro, smiling for the paparazzi as she made her way into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. But long before the night ended, she had admitted to her design being slightly problematic.

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While speaking to Vogue on the red carpet, Kim revealed she had already experienced her pearls loosening and falling off. But before detailing her fashion mishap, she first explained how her custom creation honored the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, whose designs inspired the Met Ball theme.

"I wanted pearls," she shared. "I thought, what is more Karl? The iconic Chanel pearls is what I always thought of, so we wanted to just be dripping in pearls."

Robert Kamau/GC Images

When it came to her dress malfunctioning pre-gala, she praised her 9-year-old daughter North West for saving the day. 

"Some popped on the way, and I told my daughter to grab them all," Kim told the magazine. "They're real pearls, and she was putting them in her purse."

And while North didn't get to walk the red carpet with her mom or aunts Kylie and Kendall Jenner due to age restrictions (you have to be 18), she still had her own style-worthy moment. Ahead of the event, she looked chic in a white jacket and top with distressed, oversized jeans and black boots.

Robert Kamau/GC Images

Despite Kim's fashion snafu, she and her family ruled the Met Gala with fierce and fabulous looks. Keep up with all of their head-turning fashion below. 

Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner
Usher, Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian
Usher, Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
With Jared Leto
Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner
Kendall Jenner
Kim Kardashian
Kylie Jenner
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner
Paris Hilton, Marc Jacobs, Kendall Jenner, Anitta and Kim Petras
Kylie Jenner and Stormi Webster Leaving the Hotel
Kim Kardashian and North West Leaving the Hotel
And visit E! Online's 2023 Met Gala page for every photo and must-see moment from fashion's biggest night.