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An Illustrated History Of Kim Kardashian & Her Louis Vuitton Bags

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"Don't be...fucking...rude!" a pre-Yeezy era Kim Kardashian once shouted at sister Khloé Kardashian in between swings of a purse so full it seemed to take her with it. It was the year 2008 and Kim had just added a fresh Bentley to her collection of cars. But her sisters weren't as happy for her as she'd hoped. "You're a horrible individual!" shouted Khloé. "Get out! You're not wanted!" added Kourtney. As Kim exited the mini-penthouse of her brother Rob, they added that she'd be best to retreat to her new car that — sarcastically, of course — no one in the world could afford but her. It was the Kardashian civil war and the world was tuned in.
While the above may sound like the opening scene to a season of the Bad Girls Club, it was just another day in the Kardashian-Jenner household. The family has been so gracious as to let the entire world into their home(s) over the past decade, and for better or worse, we're forever changed because of it. But nothing has stuck with us quite like that scene and the real star of the iconic altercation: the bag. Kim showed what standing up for herself and weaponizing one's fashion looks like. Since then, we've also resorted to using our handbags as weapons of self-defense.
Okay, we're only joking! We certainly don't condone violence, but it's one of many examples of just how talented Kim is at harnessing her emotions into an energy that's not only infectious, but effective. It's caused us to take a pause, and think about all the other purses Kim could have benefitted from while going through other moments of conflict in her life. Why, you ask? Because why not?
In case you didn't know, the dynamic duo that is Kim Kardashian and Louis Vuitton goes way back. If you're over a certain age, perhaps you remember seeing the photograph of Robert Kardashian, Kim's father, carrying a Louis Vuitton garment bag from the crime scene, just days after the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. When asked about the infamous bag by British GQ in 2016, Kim told the glossy, "I remember I went through it. The news was like, 'Where is this Louis Vuitton bag?' and I'm like, 'Oh, it's upstairs.'" She claimed to have found simply toiletries and golf clothes.
Along with her family, Kim would go on to be seen carrying the ubiquitous label up and down the California coast, in and out of LAX, often coordinating with then employer Paris Hilton. That's why, ahead of her 37th birthday, we're looking back at the relationship between the most famous woman in the world and her trusty-not-dusty, Louis Vuitton handbag. What was once a weapon of mass destruction has become a signature part of her overall brand.
While these days her taste may veer towards streetwear labels, we'll never forget where Kim started. No, we're not talking about the closets of the rich and the famous (well, we're not not talking about them), but the sidewalks of Rodeo Drive, Kitson, Starbucks, and Sur. By now, the Louis Vuitton bags in the slideshow ahead have probably been auctioned off via Kim's successful eBay empire, but they'll forever go down in fashion and pop culture history as some of the most multi-functional, stylish bags to ever be carried. You can fight us on that.
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