Kim Kardashian West has dropped the name of her new shapewear brand, Kimono, after days of immense online backlash.
Last week, Kardashian West announced on Twitter her new shapewear brand, Kimono - a project she said she had been developing for the last year.
However, the announcement received widespread criticism, with the name under attack as many labelled it disrespectful to the traditional Japanese garment.
A kimono is a loose, ankle-length gown, typically tied across the body with a sash, and is seen as a Japenese cultural icon.
One Japanese woman, Yuka Ohishi, told the BBC that the shapewear doesn't have any connection to the traditional clothing.
"We wear kimonos to celebrate health, growth of children, engagements, marriages, graduations, at funerals. It's celebratory wear and passed on in families through the generations.
"[This] shapewear doesn't even resemble a kimono - she just chose a word that has Kim in it - there's no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture."
Those on social media also weren't mincing their words.
"Thanks for butchering Japanese culture! My culture is not your plaything," said one Twitter user.
"You don't have any respect for people who are not your family do you?
But the celebrity has now dropped the name, writing on Instagram that she is always "listening, learning and growing" and after considering feedback she would relaunch the brand under a new name.
"Being an entrepreneur and my own boss has been one of the most rewarding challenges I've been blessed with in my life," she said.
"What's made it possible for me after all of these years has been the direct line of communication with my fans and the public… I so appreciate the passion and varied perspectives that people bring to me."
Kardashian West said she had announced the name with the "best intentions in mind" as she built her brands with "inclusivity and diversity at their core".
While many fans and social media users responded positively to the news, others questioned why she didn't surround herself with people that would have pointed out the issue before the brand went public.
Newshub.
