Kim Kardashian's waist in her Maison Margiela dress at the 2024 Met Gala was certainly one of the most memorable looks to hit the red carpet. But unsurprisingly, the reaction isn't entirely positive.
Some fans were quick to say the reality star was bringing old Hollywood glamour to the event with her extreme waist-cinching. But others questioned whether she could even breathe or talk in the gown by John Galliano couture. (A clip from Vogue posted to Instagram, where the 43-year-old explains her controversial sweater, proves she could do the latter, at least for a little bit.)
In a video posted to Vogue's YouTube channel on May 7, Kardashian revealed that breathing while wearing the look is "an art form."
"But I got it," she said, as assistants tightened the corset behind her.
"I'll feel so snatched I won't even be able to communicate to you how snatched I feel," she said, breathlessly.
On social media, many fans were not impressed with Kardashian's trim waist.
"This extreme look sends all kinds of wrong messaging," wrote one person on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Kim Kardashian once again showing up in a look that does nothing but showcase how artificially small she can make her waist," someone else added.
It's not the first time the reality star has pushed her body to its limits for the sake of fashion.
On May 8, two days after the 2024 Met Gala, she posted a series of photos on Instagram of herself wearing another Margiela corset that also cinched her waist to an extreme degree.
"Give your ribs a break lol," one person commented.
"Like where do her organs go?" added another.
And in 2019, she once again cinched her waist so tight that it was the focal point of her look for the Met Gala's "camp" theme. The dress, made of latex and beads, was designed by Thierry Mugler. According to W magazine, underneath she wore a custom corset by designer Mr. Pearl, who's rumored to have an 18-inch waist and has also collaborated with Galliano in the past.
At the time, Kardashian’s trainer, Melissa Alcantara, reportedly shared that the Skims founder also worked “her a-- out” six days a week leading up to the event.
TODAY.com reached out for comment on how Kardashian prepared to wear the Galliano gown but has yet to hear back.
The health risks of waist training and corseting
With waist-snatching shaping up to be a bigger trend in high fashion this year — Galliano made it a central theme in his January show — what are the health risks of wearing a corset or waist trainer, especially for prolonged periods or repeatedly?
Depending on how much the waist is restricted, corsets can lead to difficulty breathing and fainting, according to the Royal College of Surgeons of England. In addition, compressing the organs in the abdomen can harm digestion and lead the muscles in the back to atrophy. Long-term corseting can also deform the rib cage.
Of course, Kardashian isn't wearing corsets with the same frequency as women in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. But she has spoken in the past about relying on waist training as a way to make her midsection appear smaller.
However, experts say it's not true that waist training can have a permanent effect on your appearance.
"It’s going to make you look slimmer when you have it on, but I don’t know any physiology that would explain that you’re going to lose body fat by wearing this device,” Stephen Ball, professor in the department of nutrition and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri, told TODAY.com.
According to experts at the Cleveland Clinic, wearing waist trainers for a long period of time can also lead to breathing and heart problems, due to lack of oxygen and poor circulation; digestive issues, such as acid reflux; skin irritation; and reducing muscle strength in the internal organs.
If you're interested in wearing a waist trainer, experts say it's likely safe to do so for a few hours, but they shouldn't be worn for multiple days or overnight. A safer way to slim your waist is through exercise and eating healthy.