PARIS – Kim Kardashian arrived at the courthouse in central Paris earlier this month composed, collected, and dripping in an estimated $8 million worth of jewelry. The ensemble was a bold choice, considering she was appearing at her own robbery trial, over one of the most audacious celebrity heists in modern history. She arrived alongside her mother Kris Jenner to testify against the so-called “grandpa robbers”, some suspects in their 60s and 70s, one of which died before the case went to trial, while another developed Alzheimer’s and was deemed unfit to stand, who are facing charges for armed robbery, kidnapping and conspiracy after allegedly stealing $10 million worth of cash and jewelry from the A-lister, who was held at gunpoint, during a trip to Paris in October 2016. At the trial, Kardashian was bespectacled in Alaïa sunglasses, her form accentuated in a vintage John Galliano black skirt-suit with a plunging neckline and sizeable side-slit. Kardashian’s neck alone was encircled with over 52 carats — courtesy of a tear-drop-shaped necklace from Samer Halimeh — which she paired with diamond earrings.
, a 4.55 carat Repossi diamond over-the-ear cuff and a white gold and diamond pavé version by Briony Raymond. The striking Halimeh piece felt like a revenge necklace signalling Kardashian’s unique ability to easily replace millions of dollars’ worth of precious jewels.
To some on social media, this served as a gauché reminder of seemingly bottomless wealth. But for NYU fashion law professor and “The Laws of Style” author Douglas Hand, it was a symbol of defiance. “Her choice of jewelry really underscored the fact that she wants to announce that she’s reclaiming her power after this traumatic event,” Hand told CNN over the phone. “If I were advising her from both a business perspective and a legal perspective, I think you’d want to signal that you are a survivor.”
