Kim Kardashian looked stunning in Marilyn Monroe's iconic $4.8 million dress at Met Gala

Kim Kardashian says she lost 16lbs (7.2kg) in three weeks to fit into Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress at this year's Met Gala.

The 41-year-old star wowed at the annual fashion fundraiser at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing the exact same gown the iconic actress wore when she sang 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy in May 1962, and Kim admitted she had to give up sugar and carbs for three weeks beforehand.

Speaking to Vogue correspondent La La Anthony on the red carpet, she said: "Well this is Marilyn Monroe's dress and it is 60 years old and she wore this when she sang 'Happy Birthday' to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.

"I had this idea to try it on and then they came with armed guards and gloves.

"I tried it on and it didn't fit me. I said, 'Give me three weeks.' I had to lose 16 pounds down today.

"It was such a challenge. It was like a [movie] role. I was determined to fit [into] it. I haven't had carbs or sugar in about three weeks. We're having pizza and donut party back at the hotel [after the Met Gala]."

The dress, which originally cost $12,000, was designed by Jean Louis and has 6,000 hand-sewn crystals on.

Photo / Getty

Marilyn is said to have had to be sewn into it for her performance for President Kennedy, just three months before she died in August 1962 aged 36.

It was later sold for $4.8 million at Julien's Auctions in 2016 and acquired by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, who Kim loaned it from for the Met Gala.

She added: "I’m a big fan of auctions and I own several JFK pieces so I know the owner of Julien’s.

"He was able to connect me [with Ripley’s] and that’s how the conversation started."

Kim - who appeared alongside her boyfriend Pete Davidson at the event - also channelled her inner Marilyn by dying her hair platinum blonde for the event.

Pete joked: "She [Kim] didn't let me wear my propeller hat but it's fine."

This year's Met Gala theme was "In America: An Anthology of Fashion",
and the official dress code was gilded glamour and white tie.
- Bang! Showbiz