7 Times Kim Kardashian Proved She Was an Icon

Kim Kardashian redefined our understanding of celebrity status. Kardashian's impact and influence are heavily embedded in our popular culture today; from her iconic red carpet Hervé Legér dresses, to duck face selfies, to the endless sister banter on the now-iconic reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians that propelled the Kardashian-Jenner clan into stardom.

Her ever-changing style choices from early 2000s low-rise looks to neutral-toned Yeezy bodysuits to her now dark and edgy Balenciaga era merits Kardashian a trendsetter title. Her eponymous shapewear brand Skims, which was once met with public scrutiny for its original name "Kimono," became the official underwear of the United States Olympic team during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Numerous speculations surrounding Kardashian allegedly undergoing cosmetic procedures warranted the launch of her namesake beauty brand KKW Beauty, featuring contouring and highlighting products, turning public perusal into power. In 2019, Kardashian announced that she would attend law school, while raising her four children and juggling her unconventional work life. Currently, Kardashian is participating in a four-year law apprenticeship under the legal nonprofit #cut50

One might even say Kardashian has been it all—from a celebrity stylist to a reality star, a business-savvy entrepreneur to a social justice advocate, it's no surprise why the world sees Kardashian in a new light. As we celebrate her 43rd birthday, L'OFFCIEL rounds up Kim Kardashian's seven most iconic moments that made the Internet rethink what we know about the star.

It's hard to believe that it has been nearly a decade since Kardashian's iconic Met Gala appearance. Donning the red carpet in a floral dress by Givenchy, the 2013 Met Gala was Kardashian's first Met Gala appearance alongside Kanye West. The reality star was pregnant with her firstborn North West during the event.

For Kardashian, chivalry isn't dead. In 2013, West proposed to the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star at the AT&T Stadium in San Francisco along with an orchestra, fireworks, and a sign that writes "PLEEEASE MARRY MEEE!!!"

In 2014, Kardashian married West in Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy. The picture perfect wedding was heralded as one of the most iconic celebrity weddings of all time with a star-studded guest list including Andrea Bocelli, John Legend, Olivier Rousteing, and many more.

In 2014, Kardashian went full frontal for a magazine photo shoot that, quite figuratively, broke the Internet. The now frequently-used term "breaking the Internet" was coined after Kardashian successfully made headlines for what seemed to be one of her most daring magazine shoots to date. The cover spurred memes across social media platforms and has become a major pop culture moment.

In 2015, Kardashian launched her first coffee table photo book, Selfish, that contains a series of selfies from the Skims entrepreneur. Known for her Insta-ready duck face selfies in the mid 2010s, the 448-page book published by Rizzoli sold at least 125,000 copies during its launch.

In February 2020, Kardashian and West gave us a peak into their minimalist mansion. Kardashian shared that she and her former husband had similar design taste saying, "The one thing Kanye and I had in common was our preference for a neutral palette. I love the simplicity of the design. Everything in the outside world is so chaotic. I like to come into a place and immediately feel the calmness.” 

On October 9, 2021, Kardashian made her comedic debut as host of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Kardashian made headlines for her iconic monologue roasting family and loved ones, as well as for her comedy skits emulating sister Kourtney Kardashian with surprise appearances from Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian.