Kim Kardashian is an American Model, media personality, socialite, businesswoman, and actress. Initially gaining attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, her fame skyrocketed after a private video she made with her then-boyfriend Ray J in 2003 was leaked in 2007 known as Kim Kardashian Superstar.
Later in 2007, Kim and her family started appearing on the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” on E! which ran until 2021. The show’s success led to spin-offs like “Kourtney and Kim Take New York” (2011–2012), “Kourtney and Kim Take Miami” (2009–2013), and Hulu’s “The Kardashians” (2022–present).
Kim Kardashian has built a huge online presence with millions of followers on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Alongside her sisters Kourtney and Khloé, she launched the fashion store chain Dash active from 2006 to 2018. In 2017, she started KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance which were valued at over US$1 billion by 2021. In 2019, she founded Skims a shapewear company now valued at over US$4 billion as of 2023. After closing her cosmetics and fragrance brands she launched Sknn By Kim her skincare line in 2022.
Kim Kardashian has also ventured into other business areas such as the 2014 mobile game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and the 2015 photo book Selfish. Her acting credits include roles in films like Disaster Movie (2008) and Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013) and voice roles in two PAW Patrol films (2021) as well as a part in the anthology series American Horror Story (2023).
In 2015, Time magazine named Kardashian one of the 100 most influential people. She is often noted for epitomizing the concept of achieving fame simply through media visibility. Kim Kardashian became a billionaire in 2021 and is estimated to be worth US$1.7 billion as of 2024 by Forbes.
| Full Name | Kim Kardashian West |
| Date of Birth | October 21, 1980 |
| Place of Birth | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Occupation | Media personality, businesswoman, socialite, actress |
| Height | 5 feet 2 inches (1.59 meters) |
| Spouse | Kanye West (m. 2014, divorced in 2021) Kris Humphries (m. 2011–2013) Damon Thomas (m. 2000–2004) |
| Children | North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm West |
| Net Worth | $1.7 billion |
Kim Kardashian Early Life and Education
Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles California. Her parents are Robert Kardashian and Kris Kardashian. She has three siblings: older sister Kourtney, younger sister Khloé and younger brother Rob. Her mom is of Scottish and Dutch descent while her dad is Armenian.
In 1991, Kim’s parents divorced and her mom married Bruce Jenner who won the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics. This marriage gave Kim stepbrothers Burt, Brandon and Brody; stepsister Casey; and later half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
Kim Kardashian went to Marymount High School an all-girls Catholic school in LA. Her father Robert Kardashian famously defended O. J. Simpson during his murder trial in 1994; Simpson was Kim’s godfather. Robert Kardashian passed away from cancer in 2003.
During her teenage years, Kim Kardashian became known in the media through her friendships with Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton. When she was 16, after crashing her car, her father agreed to buy her a new one on the condition that she pay for any future damages herself. Kim Kardashian started working at a clothing store called Body in Encino California where she helped open the Calabasas location. She left Body in 2000 after getting married for the first time.
Career
In 2003, Kim Kardashian started working as a personal stylist for Brandy who is an R&B singer and actress and also Ray J’s sister. Later on Brandy’s mom Sonja Norwood claimed that in 2004 she allowed Kardashian to use her American Express card for one purchase only. However, Kardashian and her sisters Khloé and Kourtney allegedly ended up charging more than $120000 without authorization.
Most of these charges were supposedly for items from Kardashian’s family-owned store in 2006 and 2007 after Kardashian had stopped working for Brandy’s family. Norwood didn’t pursue criminal charges at her children’s request but instead confronted Kardashian directly. Kardashian apologized and promised to repay the debt but after no payments came through by 2008 Norwood filed a lawsuit. Kardashian denied these accusations and in 2009 they reportedly settled the matter out of court.
In 2006, Kardashian began working as a stylist for Paris Hilton her childhood friend. She gained attention for appearing in episodes of Hilton’s reality show and being seen with her at various events. People involved in the media noted Kardashian’s readiness to build a successful brand with photographers continuing to capture her at popular places like the Hollywood nightclub Hyde for several years.
The year 2007 brought significant attention when a private video of Kardashian and Ray J from 2003 was leaked online leading to widespread publicity. Kardashian initially sued over its distribution but later settled allowing the company to sell copies. The attention from this incident was seen by some as a way to promote the upcoming reality show featuring Kardashian and her family which debuted later that year and became a hit. This success led to several spin-off shows.
Kardashian also posed nude for Playboy in 2007 and acted in various TV shows and movies including a role in Disaster Movie in 2008 and a brief stint on Dancing with the Stars the same year. She expanded into endorsements releasing fragrances and a workout DVD and took part in various other projects like guest judging on America’s Next Top Model.
By 2010, Kardashian was involved in numerous endorsement deals co-authored a bestselling autobiography with her sisters and even tried her hand at music with a single released during a New Year’s Eve party. She continued to appear on TV and in other media projects including producing a reality show and guest-starring on popular series like 90210.
In the following years, Kardashian expanded her fragrance line appeared in movies, and launched a successful mobile game in 2014. She gained further attention for her appearances in magazines and her social media influence with reports estimating her earning potential from sponsored posts reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Kim Kardashian along with her sisters Kourtney and Khloé started a fashion store called Dash in Calabasas California in 2006. They ran several stores until 2018. In addition to her fashion ventures Kim launched beauty and fragrance lines called KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance in 2017.
Kim co-produced a reality TV competition called Glam Masters with Laverne Cox in 2018. The show featured beauty bloggers competing to work with Kim on her makeup line and join her team. Kim also appeared in the movie Ocean’s 8 and later co-executive produced a prank reality series called You Kiddin’ Me.
In 2019, Kim faced criticism for naming her shapewear brand “Kimono” which many felt disrespected Japanese culture. She renamed it “Skims” later that year. Skims became known for its inclusive sizing and range of clothing eventually expanding into men’s and unisex apparel.
Skims partnered with Nordstrom in 2020 and started opening pop-up stores worldwide in 2021. It provided Team USA athletes with athleisure wear for the Olympics and collaborated with the US Winter Olympics team.
Kim’s entrepreneurial success led to her receiving awards like the Brand Innovator at the WSJ. Innovator Awards and the Innovation Award at the CFDA Awards. Skims was valued at $4 billion by July 2023 and was recognized as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies in 2022.
Outside of business, Kim starred in the documentary “Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project” and appeared in various TV shows and films. She also entered the fashion world by modeling for Balenciaga and directing a collection for Dolce & Gabbana.
In 2022, Kim faced legal issues related to promoting cryptocurrency and agreed to pay a fine in 2022. She also ventured into podcasting and co-led the twelfth season of “American Horror Story.”
Looking forward Kim Kardashian continues to expand her career with upcoming projects in television and film including a legal drama series on Hulu.
Net Worth
Kim Kardashian has an estimated net worth of $1.7 Billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Personal life
In 2000, when she was 19 Kim Kardashian secretly married music producer Damon Thomas. They divorced in 2003 with Kim later claiming he abused her and she was on ecstasy at their wedding. Before the divorce was final she began dating singer Ray J.
Next Kim dated football star Reggie Bush introduced by a mutual friend at a sports award event in 2007. They split in 2009 but briefly reunited later that year. In 2010, she briefly dated NFL player Miles Austin.
In May 2011, Kim got engaged to NBA player Kris Humphries after dating since October 2010. They married in a big ceremony on August 20 2011 but Kim filed for divorce just 72 days later citing irreconcilable differences. Many speculated their marriage was a publicity stunt.
Kim started dating rapper Kanye West in 2012 while still legally married to Humphries. Her divorce from Humphries was finalized in 2013. Kim and Kanye got engaged later in 2013 and married in 2014 in Italy. Their marriage was highly publicized due to their celebrity status.
In early 2021, reports suggested Kim and Kanye were discussing divorce. Kim officially filed for divorce in February 2021 and it was finalized in March 2022. Kim filed to speed up the process claiming Kanye was delaying it.
In between relationships Kim dated Pete Davidson in 2021–2022 and NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. from 2023 to early 2024.
Kim Kardashian identifies as a Christian and has been involved in religious ceremonies including baptisms at significant Christian sites.
Regarding health Kim faced challenges during pregnancies including pre-eclampsia and placenta issues leading to surgeries and eventually using surrogates for her third and fourth children.
Kim Kardashian has been open about dealing with psoriasis and confirmed testing positive for COVID-19 in 2020.
Kim Kardashian’s wealth has grown significantly through various business ventures with Forbes estimating her net worth to be over $1 billion as of 2021.
In a notable event, Kim was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016 where thieves stole millions in jewelry. The incident sparked controversy and speculation including accusations of it being staged although arrests were eventually made in connection with the robbery.
Politics
Kim Kardashian has been vocal about her political views and actions over the years. In a 2016 interview with GQ, she declared herself a Democrat and endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. She also made headlines in 2017 by sharing statistics on Twitter that compared gun violence deaths in the US to terrorism deaths sparking a viral discussion.
During a trip to Uganda in 2018 with her husband Kanye West they met with President Yoweri Museveni which drew criticism due to his political reputation and recent actions against opposition groups and the LGBT community.
In terms of her career aspirations, Kardashian has taken steps toward becoming a lawyer. Instead of attending law school, she opted for a non-traditional route of self-study. She faced challenges including failing the baby bar exam multiple times before finally passing in December 2021.
Beyond her endeavors, Kardashian has used her platform for advocacy. She condemned Azerbaijan during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict showing support for Armenia. She also assisted Afghan female soccer players fleeing the Taliban in 2021 helping them relocate to England.
Her Armenian heritage is important to her and she has been a vocal advocate for the recognition of the Armenian genocide. She criticized The Wall Street Journal for denying this historical event and praised President Joe Biden when he officially acknowledged it in 2021.
In the field of criminal justice reform, Kardashian successfully lobbied for the release of Alice Marie Johnson and worked on other cases through initiatives like the First Step Act. She has been both praised and criticized for her involvement with some questioning her motives.
Most recently Kardashian advocated for Melissa Lucio a woman on Texas’ death row and supported rapper Gunna’s release from prison in 2022. Her efforts often attract media attention and mixed reactions from the public.
