Kim Kardashian knows when to fake it.
The Skims founder, 45, came clean Wednesday about the controversial Hermès Birkin bag made from elephant hide that sparked outrage in November — revealing the rare Hermès accessory was actually just a prop.
“If you look at it … the hardware is upside down… it’s like an actual full fake one,” Kardashian said during an appearance on sister Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, “Khloé in Wonder Land.”
The reality star-turned-actress faced swift backlash after she was photographed carrying what appeared to be an ultra-rare elephant skin Birkin both on the set of her Hulu legal drama “All’s Fair” and in behind-the-scenes photos shared by stylist Soki Mak.
The bag appeared in a scene in which Kardashian’s character Allura Grant wore an all-gray outfit, and the counterfeit Birkin was chosen simply because it matched her ensemble.
“I was wearing gray and it was a gray one,” she stated matter-of-factly.
But regardless of authenticity, Kardashian admitted the wardrobe choice was a misstep.
“I was so annoyed with myself about is just that, like, that message … that message that the elephant Birkin was okay,” she shared. “Because people didn’t know if it was real or fake … So even just, like, putting that out there — I wish I was a little bit smarter on that and made a better choice on that.”
Model and actress Ireland Baldwin, 30, was among the most vocal critics in November, writing on Instagram: “This is so disgusting and shameful. I don’t understand how these people are supported the way they are.”
According to PETA, Hermès never commercially sold elephant leather bags but created a limited series in the 1980s from the skin of an elephant allegedly shot and killed on a safari. These ultra-rare Birkins can fetch up to $125,000 or more on resale markets.
“I don’t blame that story or for the outrage of that story. I really don’t,” Kardashian told Khloé, 41.
When asked why she stayed silent for two months, Kardashian said she felt “overwhelmed” with criticism of “All’s Fair” at the time.
“I’m a firm believer of like addressing something head on and quickly,” she explained, referencing when she quickly renamed her shapewear brand from Kimono to Skims. “Sometimes I’m like, I’m not going to give it attention because I can’t sit there all day and shut everything down … it depends on my mood.”
One person who did reach out privately was Ellen DeGeneres, who is a close friend of Kim’s and a famous advocate for animal rights.
DeGeneres— who Kardashian credits with convincing her to switch to faux fur — reached out privately about the controversy.
“She wrote me and was like ‘Hey, I see this story with this elephant Birkin — what is this?’” Kardashian recalled. “That’s why like Ellen’s approach was so great… she really took the time to communicate certain things to me.”
The mom of four explained that she brought many of her personal Birkins to the “All’s Fair” set for wardrobe options, but the production also purchased additional bags — including the fake elephant version — to keep on hand for styling needs.
“I brought a lot of my bags in for ‘All’s Fair’ as accessories, but then we just got a bunch of other ones that we would have and leave on set — that we could leave there and grab if we ever needed one for a specific outfit,” she said.
Kardashian owns an extensive array of Birkin bags. In 2024, she listed a peacock blue Porosus Crocodile Birkin for $49,995 on the family’s Kardashian Kloset resale site, and in October, she revealed she turned “into a monster” fighting with mom Kris Jenner over an ultra-rare vintage Birkin shoulder bag designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.
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