Kim Kardashian West

Kimberly Noel Kardashian West, known professionally as Kim Kardashian, is an American media personality, socialite, model, businesswoman, producer, and actress. Born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, Kardashian first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton but received wider notice after a 2002 sex tape with her former boyfriend Ray J was leaked in 2007. Later that year, she and her family began to appear in the E! reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which aired until 2021 and launched them into global stardom.

Early Life and Family Background

Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born in Los Angeles to attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner (née Houghton). Her father was of Armenian descent, while her mother has English, Irish, Dutch, and Scottish ancestry. Kim grew up in the affluent Los Angeles neighborhood of Beverly Hills alongside her siblings Kourtney, Khloé, and Rob.

Her parents divorced in 1991, and her mother married Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner) in 1991, with whom she had two daughters, Kendall and Kylie. This blended family would later become the focus of their reality show. Kim attended Marymount High School, a private Catholic school in Los Angeles, and later studied at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, though she did not graduate.

Kardashian-Jenner Family Tree

Family Member	Relation	Notable For	Birth Year
Kris Jenner	Mother	Family matriarch, manager	1955
Robert Kardashian	Father (deceased)	O.J. Simpson trial attorney	1944
Kourtney Kardashian	Elder sister	Poosh founder, reality TV	1979
Khloé Kardashian	Younger sister	Good American founder, reality TV	1984
Rob Kardashian	Brother	Entrepreneur, reality TV	1987
Kendall Jenner	Half-sister	Supermodel	1995
Kylie Jenner	Half-sister	Kylie Cosmetics founder, youngest billionaire	1997
Caitlyn Jenner	Former step-parent	Olympic athlete, transgender activist	1949

Career Timeline

Business Ventures and Brand Endorsements

Kim Kardashian has built a business empire worth hundreds of millions through various ventures:

Business	Launched	Description	Valuation (Peak)
Kardashian Kollection	2011	Fashion line with sisters at Sears	Discontinued
Kim Kardashian: Hollywood	2014	Mobile game by Glu Mobile	$200M+ revenue
KKW Beauty	2017	Cosmetics and fragrances	$1B (sold 20% for $200M)
SKIMS	2019	Shapewear and loungewear	$3.2B (2022 valuation)
SKKY Partners	2022	Private equity firm	N/A

Social Media Presence

Personal Life

Relationships and Children

Kim Kardashian has been married three times and has four children:

Partner	Years	Children	Details
Damon Thomas	2000-2004	None	First marriage at age 19; annulled
Kris Humphries	2011	None	72-day marriage; highly publicized divorce
Kanye West	2014-2022	4	North, Saint, Chicago, Psalm
Pete Davidson	2021-2022	None	High-profile relationship after SNL appearance

Children Details

Name	Birth Year	Birth Method	Notable Facts
North West	2013	Natural birth	First child, named after Kanye's direction
Saint West	2015	Emergency C-section	Kim had placenta accreta
Chicago West	2018	Surrogate	First surrogate child
Psalm West	2019	Surrogate	Second surrogate child

Legal Advocacy and Prison Reform

In recent years, Kim has become known for her work in criminal justice reform:

• Successfully lobbied President Trump to commute Alice Marie Johnson's life sentence in 2018
• Helped secure the release of 17 federal prisoners in 90 days in 2019
• Passed California's "gold standard" baby bar exam in 2021 after 4 attempts
• Currently apprenticing with a law firm to become a lawyer without attending law school
• Founded the Justice Project to advocate for wrongfully convicted individuals

Controversies and Scandals

Kim Kardashian's career has been marked by several controversies:

• 2007 sex tape scandal with Ray J
• Cultural appropriation accusations regarding braided hairstyles
• Promoting questionable weight loss products on social media
• 2016 armed robbery in Paris where she was tied up and robbed of $10M in jewelry
• 2022 feud with Kanye West during their divorce
• Criticism for promoting unrealistic beauty standards
• 2020 backlash for tone-deaf "break the internet" birthday party during pandemic

Philanthropy

Despite criticism of being self-absorbed, Kim has engaged in significant philanthropy:

Year	Cause	Contribution
2015	Armenian Genocide recognition	Advocacy and donations
2017	Hurricane Harvey relief	$500,000 donation
2020	COVID-19 relief	$1M donation to various causes
2021	Baby2Baby charity	$1M donation
2022	Ukraine relief	Advocacy and donations

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Kim Kardashian has had a profound impact on popular culture:

Conclusion

Kim Kardashian represents the ultimate self-made celebrity of the digital age. From her beginnings as a stylist and reality TV star to becoming a billionaire businesswoman and criminal justice advocate, she has consistently reinvented herself while maintaining cultural relevance for over 15 years. While often criticized for being "famous for being famous," her business acumen and ability to capitalize on her image have made her one of the most influential women in entertainment and fashion.

Whether admired or criticized, Kim's impact on celebrity culture, beauty standards, and business is undeniable. As she continues to evolve - from reality star to entrepreneur to legal advocate - her story remains one of the most fascinating case studies in modern fame and personal branding.