At a Glance
- Kim Kardashian confirms the viral elephant-skin Birkin was a fake prop for All’s Fair
- She stayed silent amid backlash because she was “overwhelmed” by negative reactions to the show
- Ellen DeGeneres previously influenced Kim to ditch real fur and “tone down” her fashion choices
Why it matters: The clarification ends weeks of speculation about Kardashian’s use of exotic-animal accessories and highlights the scrutiny celebrities face over prop choices.
Kim Kardashian has broken her silence on the elephant-skin Birkin that ignited social-media firestorms last November, revealing on the Khloé in Wonder Land podcast that the bag was a knock-off used solely as a set piece for her Hulu drama All’s Fair. Speaking on the Jan. 21 episode, the 45-year-old star said she never imagined a prop would spark global outrage.
The Fake Bag That Fooled the Internet
Photographs of Kardashian clutching the gray tote-paired with a fitted all-gray outfit on the series-led fans and conservation groups to assume she owned one of the rarest and most controversial pieces in Hermès history. According to PETA, the French luxury house once prototyped bags from elephant leather allegedly sourced from animals “shot and killed on a safari in the 1980s,” though those designs never reached retail.
“I brought a lot of my bags in to film All’s Fair, but then we just got a bunch of other ones that we would have and leave on set,” Kardashian explained. She noted that the hardware, texture, and overall finish made it obvious to Hermès aficionados that the piece was counterfeit, yet she now concedes she should have been “a little bit smarter” about flashing it publicly without context.
Why She Waited to Respond
Co-host Khloé Kardashian pressed her sister on why she let the criticism simmer. Kim replied that she was “overwhelmed” by the broader negative reaction to All’s Fair, which she executive-produced alongside mother Kris Jenner. Her usual strategy, she said, is to “address something head on and quickly,” but the volume of backlash made her hesitate.
Key points from her explanation:
- She sometimes refuses to “give it attention” because she can’t “sit there all day and shut everything down”
- She acts when “annoyed enough” or when a statement is essential
- The decision ultimately “depends on my mood”
She cited her rapid response to the Kimono controversy-swiftly renaming her shape-wear label to SKIMS-as an example of her typical crisis approach.
Ellen’s Influence on Kim’s Fashion Ethics
Khloé revealed that Ellen DeGeneres reached out as headlines spread, prompting Kim to recall how the comedian once convinced her to abandon real fur. “She is the reason why I went to full faux fur,” Kim said, confirming she still owns vintage pieces but has “completely toned down a lot of things.” DeGeneres, who co-founded the faux-fur label UnHide in 2019, was praised by Kim for her respectful communication style.
Her Growing Hermès Collection
Despite the faux-Birkin flap, Kardashian continues to flaunt authentic Hermès pieces. In a recent TikTok filmed during her birthday celebrations, she displayed a six-figure haul that included:
- A red crocodile Birkin Shoulder Bag designed by Jean Paul Gaultier
- A dark-beige crocodile Kelly Cut clutch
Those genuine exotic-skin bags, while legal, remain polarizing among animal-rights activists.
Key Takeaways
- The viral elephant Birkin was a fake prop never intended for public sale or private use
- Kardashian says the backlash, combined with broader criticism of All’s Fair, left her too “overwhelmed” to reply immediately
- Ellen DeGeneres previously persuaded her to swear off new fur purchases, influencing her broader fashion choices
