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Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner riding camels in front of Atlantis The Palm, Dubai |
Just 72 days after her wedding Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from her husband Kris Humphries.
UAE website kippreport.com saw Kardashian's wedding story as a kind of business deal. “Let?s talk money. Apparently, the Kim+Kris media partnerships for the wedding alone earned the couple close to $18 million – including a $2.5 million deal with People magazine,” the website said. “And that?s not it. Think about the extent to which ratings will unfortunately increase as millions of interested masses (the ones who were yelling their lungs out when Kim came to Dubai Mall) will not only watch but re-watch the series to find out what went wrong,” added the website.
Kardashian spent four of 72 days of her marriage with her mother Kris Jenner in Dubai, where she created great interest around her. Thousands of people followed here moves especially when she launched her special milkshake in the “Millions of Milkshakes” store in Dubai Mall.
In an interview with Kim Kardashian published before the news about her divorce, Nyree McFarlane of “Time Out Dubai” said: “The Kardashian clan lets it all hang out. So much so that, after watching them for four years (the first episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians aired on October 14, 2007), many of us know more about them than we do our own families”. She goes on saying “this explains why this Armenian-American family is now rumoured to be worth more than Dhs3.6 billion (US$1b)”.
Kim arrived in Dubai on 12 October 2011. “Seriously the women in Dubai are so gorgeous”, “Wow, I'm in such awe over Dubai! My hotel is so insane… I'm obsessed with Dubai”, received her fans on twitter.
On the evening of their arrival she attended a VIP dinner with members of the Dubai Royal Family at a desert ranch.
Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner visited several Dubai locations. They tasted truffle pasta at Caramel in DIFC, launched the “Millions of Milkshakes” store in Dubai Mall, tried Arabic abayas in the Dubai Golf Souk, rode camels in front of Atlantis The Palm hotel where they were staying, launched Kardashian's new perfume at Sephora department store, etc.
On 14 October 2011 they attended the opening of the “Millions of Milkshakes” store in Dubai Mall, a business venture in partnership with “Emirates Hospitality Group”, the franchise holder in UAE.
Following the opening of the store, Kardashian and her mother were escorted to the Fashion Avenue to take part in a live interview “An Audience with Kim Kardashian”, with MBC TV hostess Joelle Mardinian (likewise of Armenian ancestry).
At another occasion, Kardashian and Jenner dressed colourful kaftans designed by Los Angeles based designer Miriam Rahali and rode the camels down the beach at the Atlantis The Palm.
Media coverage
In a statement to Grazia Magazine Middle East (19 October 2011, issue 288), designer Rahali said that the women of Dubai like Kardashian, among other things, for her “striking Middle Eastern features”.
Hello! magazine was invited to Kardashian's suite in the Atlantis The Palm. When
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Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner at the Millions of Milkshakes announcement at Atlantis The Palm |
Sarah Walker asked Kardashian about her feeling regarding the journey to a Middle Eastern location. “You are half-Armenian, yet this is your first time in this part of the world. Do you feel connected to the region?”, she asked. Kardashian replied: “It is truly the best place I have ever travelled to. I thought there would be such a difference between home and here, but to be honest, there are so many similarities. I have noticed the strength of the women in Dubai and I can really relate to that as we have very strong women in our family”.
In an interview with the Arabic magazine “Ara” (18 October 2011, issue 2) journalist Rasha Abdulmounem asked Kardashian: “Do you think your Armenian origin has played a role in feeling familiar with women in the Arab region, especially that you resemble them to a large extent in your silhouette and face features?”. Kardashian replied that this is somehow true as she feels great respect to the Arab women for their confidence in themselves and their beauty. She said that as an Armenian she considers herself as half Middle Eastern and would be happy to include Arabic abaya designs in her upcoming new fashion collection.
Gulf News reporter Muby Asger had a challenge: “We're determined – we really are – to get to the bottom of this delicious mystery. Just what is the big deal here? Why all this fuss about Kim Kardarshian, an Armenian-American whose baby-browns have taken the world by storm?”, he wondered (Gulf News, 13 October 2011)
After analyzing the Kardashian phenomenon Asger concludes: “So if Dubai goes ga-ga for the girl, who's to blame? She's a 21st century diva. A woman who's grabbed life by the delicates, who knows just what she wants, when she wants it, and how she wants it. It's no wonder that The Dubai Mall's going to be packed to the brim on Friday with fans, well-wishers, or even just the curious, all eager to catch a glimpse of this wonder-woman.”
Kim Kardashian and her mother left Dubai on 16 October 2011.
Crowds struggle to have a glimpse of Kardashian at the Dubai Mall:
Dubai media coverage
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Few weeks after visiting Dubai, Kim Kardashian is still getting some exposure related to the city and the larger area. This one is quite critical.
Kim Kardashian Hypocritical Middle Eastern Magazine Cover for 'HauteMuse'
Kim Kardashian has debuted on the cover of yet another magazine, but this one finds its home outside of the United States. The reality show star's cover spread for HauteMuse magazine has debuted in… wait for it… the Middle East. The high fashion glossy serves as an extension of the Haute Concierge brand that promises to help the higher income residents of the Mideast solve little problems – like finding a Hermes handbag.
Kardashian is following in the footsteps of previous cover luminaries like actress Bonnie Wright from the Harry Potter film series and Olivia Palermo of The City fame. Maybe the mag has a thing for reality show stars?
The ironic point in all of this is that Kim Kardashian's cover photo spread was shot in the city of Dubai, according to the Daily Mail. Dubai is an Islamic city despite allowing citizens of other faiths to worship within the emirate. While the city is largely quite modern with lots of nods to Western culture, the idea that Kim Kardashian would be chosen as a cover model for a publication targeted toward residents of this emirate and others is more than disturbing.
Her Armenian heritage isn't a good enough reason despite the fact that she name-drops her lineage from time to time, particularly when she admits that she has never even visited the country. She is an American, and an American who has made questionable moral decision after questionable moral decision?something the Islamic faith doesn't hold with.
While one may not want Dubai and HauteMuse to punish Kim Kardashian for her indiscretions, is it too much to think they shouldn't celebrate these faults? Or do the rules of faith only apply to the lower-income followers?
Source: Gather, 20 November 2011
http://celebs.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980791537