Kim Kardashian West: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
A girl, a guy and a girl. One is blond, one is brunette and one has blue hair. That is how we could see these three young people talking together, but they are not simple friends meeting for tea or a drink to have a quick chat. Or maybe they are? The blue-haired girl is Sita Abellán, the Spanish model and techno princess steaming up Instagram with her iconic looks and wicked pictures. The blond girl is probably the most famous bombshell and businesswoman on the planet, Kim Kardashian West. And the guy is our Editor in Chief, David Martin. A curious trio and three unique characters that are, when you scratch the surface, very real and down to Earth. As proven by the free owing chat they had in Kim’s new home in Los Angeles.
A version of this exclusive interview first appeared in the pages of the 14th issue of ODDA Magazine.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Vivetta
Sita: What was your hobby or what were your interests when you were a kid?
Kim: When I was a little girl, Kourtney and I were so close together, we were just a year apart, that I just did everything Kourtney said. I just wanted to follow her around everywhere. My parents were very fun. You know, on the weekends, we would always be swimming and playing tennis. We had a tennis court and we always had tennis lessons. I had a really good childhood, I always had so much fun. I also played soccer.
I used to love the show 90210. Like my sisters and me lived there and we thought it was so cool. I would go to Palm Springs a lot to visit my grandpa-rents. We just were a really close family.
Sita: What did you want to be when you were younger?
Kim: I just thought maybe a teacher for kids, like pre-school or something. I could have never guessed that this would have been my life. It’s not what I wanted to do at all.
Sita: Well, I wanted to be a baker!
Kim: I bet you would make wonderful mermaid cakes.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Fendi
Sita: Yeah, I used to make them, like cupcakes and cakes for all my family birthdays. Well, I still do, but yeah, I wanted to be that. So, imagine me in Murcia. I am from a little town in the south of Spain.
Kim: Yeah, I love it.
Sita: How did you feel like when you were in school? Because I used to be not that popular at all, but more like, not nerd, but I always felt like a little bit of a freak.
Kim: Really?
Sita: Yeah, and I still feel like that sometimes with people. I felt like I was a little bit away from the rest of the class. But how were you feeling?
Kim: I would say I was in the popular group. But there were the popular “mean girls” and I wasn’t in that. Then, there were the sports girls and I wasn’t in that. I was in the popular girls, but you know, my sister was in some of my classes, and my best friends. We all went to school together, so we had just so much fun in high school. I went to an all-girls Catholic school, I loved it. I went to all the dances, the prom. We could dress up, because usually we wore uniforms, at dances you could dress up and see your personality.
Sita: We don’t have that [proms and dances – ed], because I have been to a Catholic school, and even university. We used to wear uniforms, too.
Kim: I loved it though, because then it’s easy. There is no competition; no one is trying to show off. It’s just easy.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Emilio Pucci, earrings by Prada
Sita: But did you have any interest for fashion back then?
Kim: I always loved my mom’s clothes, my mom’s makeup. I was really more into makeup, and Kourtney was so mean to me. She would make me play this game with her she called Donna Karan: she was Donna Karan and I was her assistant, and she would just boss me around. I didn’t even know who Donna Karan was.
One time, my grandma was really into fashion so she had all these magazines and she had this coffee table which had all magazines, so we would go visit her house in Palm Springs and she always wore little Ferragamo shoes and a Chanel jacket and she was so cute. And Kourtney would read these magazines and say: “Do you know this model’s name?” and I would say “No, I mean, I am ten years old” and she said: “Ok, I am going to teach you. This model’s name is Levi’s, this model’s name is Guess…” you know, names of jeans and then her friends would come over and she said “Aw, you guys, look, let’s go through this magazine” and then, in front of all her friends, she is like “Kim, do you know these models’ names?” “Yes, I do, this one’s name is Levi’s, this one is Guess…” And they all started laughing because that’s not their names and she was like: “Isn’t Kim so stupid, she thinks that the models’ names are the jean names” And I was “You told me that!” and she was: “No, I didn’t, you are so dumb.” I was traumatized by that. She was so mean to me, she always wanted to embarrass me
Sita: My sister too, because I was the little one. I feel like all sisters are always like that when you are little.
Kim: Yeah, so awful.
Sita: So, imagine that you wouldn’t use Instagram for all the things you are doing now. What would you have done? Do you ever think about that?
Kim: Yeah, I do. I started the clothing store, like we have one, and when I was in high school I used to work at a clothing store, so probably I would have done my own store and just stop with that, but I think I also probably would have gone to Law school and become an attorney. And, if what I am doing right now doesn’t work out, I think I might still do that. It’s really interesting to me.
David: Why? I mean, because being a lawyer is quite…
Kim: Time consuming, emotionally tough?
David: I mean, you really need to be in between what is the truth and what is false and between the people you represent…
Kim: But hopefully I would just represent people telling the truth.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Emilio Pucci, earrings by Prada
Sita: All my family are lawyers, and I think I couldn’t be a lawyer. Like, if I know that I am defending a client who told you that he committed the deed, then you have to say no he didn’t do it in front of the court.
Kim: No, I would probably not do that, Hopefully I would have the luxury to pick and choose my clients.
Sita: Yeah, but there are levels, you could represent people who maybe go to jail…
Kim: Yeah, maybe I would want to be an attorney for getting people out of jail that are wrongly in jail.
David: I’ve got a question. When you started the store, did you think you knew how fashion is right now?
Kim: No, not at all. I mean, we just started as a jeans and t-shirt store with cute dresses, like fun things that we were wearing. I didn’t really know anything back then. And it is so fascinating just to learn the history and everything, now. And learn to love so many designers and so many fashion houses. Just when you know so much more, you get so much more interested in it.
Sita: Let’s talk about makeup. If you could only use one makeup item for the rest of your life, what would that be?
Kim: Probably just contour, because you can also use it as eye shadow, as lip color. I love to be tanned, but my face is always so pale, so I always need to warm it up and look more alive.
Sita: I look super pale, too, I don’t know why. When did your interest for makeup start?
Kim: When I was really little, with my mom. I would take her foundation and put it all over my face. Kids usually get into lipstick first, so that I got into her foundation. And I loved when I put it on, like I put on so much of it, it was this mask all over my face. I was always wondering what it was, how you used it. I was fascinated.
David: I think when you are a child or something like that, it’s always like everyone is so fascinated by the makeup, the fact that you hate yourself and you see that you look different with makeup.
Kim: Yeah, right. My daughter always sees me get my makeup done, so she also wants to put it on. She just tries to do what I do, with the blush, but she puts on so much and it is so cute to watch her.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Emilio Pucci, earrings by Prada
Sita: So, now: your go-to piece of clothing that you can’t do without?
Kim: I guess right now I always wear sweats. Cute sweats though, they’re tight and cute and easy. I have to make them in every color and I’d literally wear them all the time. They are comfy, but still sexy.
Sita: Your “must have” for next season?
Kim: Gosh, it’s the craziest that for the past year or year and a half I haven’t even like seen what is out. I only shop vintage and random stuff. It’s either my easy clothes or vintage. So I don’t even know what’s trending or what’s cool for next season.
Sita: That is a very cool answer because I, sometimes, buy stuff in stores, like shoes, but normally I buy vintage. It’s the only way I feel like I can buy something that no one else can have. And I also feel that when I buy something I can use it forever, I mean, I am not that kind of person that can buy something, wears it once and then throws it away. So it has to be something really special.
Kim: Yeah, same. I haven’t even looked at the shoes online. Truly I haven’t done anything, I just can’t even tell you anything right now (about trends – ed).
David: But I think that vintage is great. All the brands are taking from vintage so…
Sita: It’s the best. What is your favorite vintage piece then?
Kim: I just got this bag in camo with the matching dress. It’s like sheer camo Dior. It’s really cute and I am going to wear them together.
Sita: Nice!
Kim: And also I got something I wore on Christmas Eve. It’s a Galliano Dior little Chinese lavender print dress. It had these pearls. It’s really short and really cute. I really like that.
David: Galliano was amazing for Dior, it wasn’t that long ago…
Sita: Is there one you don’t have and you would like to put your fingers on?
Kim: I am always searching for vintage pieces. I look for them every day.
Sita: Where do you search mostly? Internet?
Kim: Yeah, Internet. I really want to go into a vintage store, but I haven’t had the time. That would be my dream, but I love to look online.
Sita: Yeah, because I also feel it is very difficult to find a good vintage store. I don’t know if I am right or not, but I mean one that can have a lot of things. Because, honestly, I prefer not to buy on the Internet because I like to see the colors and touch in person, but it’s true that sometimes I go to so many vintage stores and I don’t find anything.
Kim: Yeah, it’s so hard to look.
Sita: But in the Apartment they have good ones. I don’t know if you have shopped a lot in Japan. In Japan they have very good things.
Kim: No, but I am going soon, so…
Sita: You should check it out.
Kim: Last time I went I didn’t go to vintage stores. I was once in Japan and we didn’t go vintage shopping, but that is where I want to go.
Photo by Sita Abellán, outfit by Fendi
Sita: Do you remember all the piece of clothing in your closet?
Kim: Everything! I really do. I remember everything. I’ll know if one piece is missing. Well, first of all I have all the pieces photographed and we have our own app to wear out ts that are at the storage facility, but we are doing a project now, where I have everything that I have worn back in the day, like all these outfits that are photographed, so I have the pictures, but I am going to take the picture of me wearing them. I have my MET section, with all my MET dresses. I have everything so organized, so I really do remember.
David: But that is great, it is better for you. Anna Dello Russo is doing the same thing in her house. She actually has like a second house, that is all about an archive with pictures. So she has everything sorted out.
Sita: That is what I started to do actually, because I just moved to London from Milan. So my mom was like: “Let me take a picture of everything so you know”. But it takes super long because I have a lot of things, but it is better to do because sometimes I don’t even know what I have.
Kim: For me it was fun. We are just moving now so our furniture and everything is getting moved in and it was so fun to see all my stuff that I haven’t seen in so long getting unpacked, because it has been in storage you know.
Sita: Do you have it organized by color?
Kim: Color, yeah. I like to organize by color, I think it is visually prettier. I also do short sleeve to long sleeve or sleeveless.
Sita: And it is also easier. And what is the predominant color?
Kim: Neutrals, like beige: nothing too bright in my closet. For example, if I do a color like purple it would be that muted, like lavender. Everything pretty muted, probably the opposite of what you would like.
Sita: Yeah!!!
Kim: I mean, I love it, I wish I could pull it off. Do you want to swap for the day? And you wear what I wear?
Sita: Probably I couldn’t look as good as you look with your clothes. Do you ever wear an outfit more than once?
Kim: Yes, I don’t really care. I would probably wear it differently, unless I really love it. Then I don’t care, I will. It’s not that important.
Sita: I guess your style has been evolving in the years. Do you see it changing in the future? I ask you this because, when I imagine myself as a 60-year- old woman, I don’t know how I am going to be. I see myself in the same way to be honest. But what about you?
Kim: I know aging is so scary, but I think I will definitely evolve. I still want to be me, I still want to try to be the best me that I can be when I am older. I mean, when you are 80 and you don’t want to wear high heels anymore, I am going to have to figure it out, you know. I won’t wear flats; I’ll wear easy sneakers or something. I’ll still try to be super cool. But I also want to be age appropriate, you know I don’t want to look ridiculous, as when you are 70 and you dress like you are 20.
Sita: It’s good to be a bit versatile. When people see me, because not all the people can understand me, so they ask me “When you go to a wedding how do you dress like? Do you go like that?” And I mean no, I am aware that when I go to certain places I cannot wear bright colors or be too outrageous.
Kim: I mean, you can, it’s you!
Sita: Yeah, but you know people expect different things and sometimes they cannot understand, and I am very versatile.
David: But feeling comfortable is the key of everything. Like feeling ok with yourself. Because sometimes, when you wear something and you don’t really feel it, everybody can see that you are uncomfortable, that it is not you. It happened to me when I started the magazine: I hated to get dressed to go to the fashion week. I was not feeling myself, so I remember that, at the beginning, it was a problem for me because I was not wearing the latest things, or the best piece of Prada or something like that. Now, after years, I don’t feel that problem, but at the beginning it was like that. And I feel more comfortable not dressing up, I work in fashion, but I don’t need to wear what it is supposed to be worn for the rest of the people.
Kim: Yeah, I think it is always about being confident, and be comfortable. I look back at things I have worn and I am like, oh my God why did I wear that? Like you get embarrassed of your style from years ago. But it’s all funny and you felt it at the time, why not?
David:Yeah, and when you see yourself back in time, everyone else was dressing differently than now.
Sita: What is your favorite designer?
Kim: My husband, because that is what I wear all day. I hate to be so cliché and give that answer.
Sita: No, but it is true, because if you wear his clothes…
Kim: Yeah, it is what I wear every single day. Bare shoes, heels… I am obsessed with his heels.
David: And yours? (To Sita)
Sita: It is very difficult because right now I don’t know who it could be. I am more into young designers. I feel like the top-fashion brands for me right now have not too much identity and it is more about trends and money. People don’t buy anymore to keep the stuff. It’s what I was telling you before. When I started to be interested in fashion, it was because of my mom and she used to keep everything she bought. She still has all that stuff, like Versace trousers from thirty years ago. So I am more into that than buying, buying, buying.
Kim: Yeah, I agree.
Photo by Sita Abellán, Boots Yeezy, sunglasses and belt by Prada, Coat, shirt and bag Miu Miu
Sita: And who is your favorite artist?
I am so weird with my art. We haven’t put our art up in our home yet. I like it so minimal, but I love furniture more. Not that I don’t love art, I do love art. I just wanted to start with a fresh, clean palette, but everything I like is really clean and really simple, and just an accent to the wall, not something really bright.
David: When I came here, it really reminded me of the house of Rick Owens in Paris, like the kind of tables and the colors and everything. It is that theme that really speaks about how you are through very minimal things. I really like it.
Kim: I was getting everything and there is stuff to change, but it is definitely my personality.
David: It is very calm and relaxed. Sometimes, people say that minimalist style is for easy people, but I believe that it is actually the opposite because being minimal is not easy. It means that everything has to be very organized in your mind. Because the too much is very easy, and you can put a lot of things everywhere.
Sita: I am the total opposite.
Kim: We definitely need art up, but there is so much else we are waiting for, but in my soul I need my house to be calm. My day can be crazy and I have so much to do and when I want to get home I want just calmness. This guy, Axel Vervoordt, did the home. He is from Belgium, I love his style.
So, he is an architect from Belgium! I love that the kitchen is very big. Do you remember the first fashion week you attended?
Kim: I do, I remember my first one were some in the US, but my first Paris fashion week was like, oh my God…
I was so nervous and Kanye took me. I remember getting fitted for some clothes and it was just insane. Then it was so much fun two years later to give that experience to my sister and my cousin. We all went and it was a dream for her. She has cancer and it really was a dream for her to go to Paris fashion week. We had a fitting at Givenchy and Carine was dressing us and it was so much fun for her to watch and be a part of.
So, the first show you went to was Givenchy?
Kim: No, the first show I ever went to I think was by Stephan Roland.
David: Couture.
Sita: In Paris?
Kim: Yeah. I don’t know if I went to anything else. I believe my first one was just that.
So, is Paris your favorite fashion capital?
Kim: Yeah, for sure. I think it screams fashion and there are so many amazing memories that I have there. Just going to the shows is such an experience, especially if you are not from there.
I feel like Paris is the best, if you compare it also to the rest. But, do you think LA is going to become a major fashion city? Because I think there is a lot of fashion stuff going on in LA right now.
Kim: I don’t know; it is so laid back. I definitely see a lot of shows here. A lot of people are starting to want to move here. For me, it would be so cool if it would become fashionable, because LA fashion week was so not a thing, like so not cool a few years ago. So it would be fun if it was, because it’s home and I could do something in this town, because it is not the most lively town.
Photo by Sita Abellan, Undies Yeezy, T-shirt MISBHV ,Shoes Y/Project, Skirt Pepe Salazar, Jacket Helmut Lang.
Who were the top designers? Like only Moschino or who else?
Kim: Well, they had a Dior show in Calabasas.
David: There were so many: Vuitton, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger.
Sita: And you didn’t feel like the vibe was right. Or how did you feel about it?
Kim:I didn’t go to that show, but just like before in the past. LA has not been known for fashion at all. Just more like beaches and, frankly, I love that style, so I think it would be cool if they could figure it out and if it worked.
Sita: And do you ever get tired of fashion weeks?
Kim:I haven’t been in a long time, like I haven’t been in a year, maybe a year and a half. When I go to New York? Yes, sorry, actually I went to the Wang show in New York and that was so much fun because my sister was walking, but I haven’t been to Paris in a year or a year and a half. I feel like I have been removed from it a little bit, I am excited to go back.
David: You have never been to Milan for fashion week?
Kim: I have been to Milan, just not for fashion week.
David: You need to go for fashion week.
Kim:I know, I heard.
David: I love Milan for fashion week.
Sita: I hate Milan.
Kim: Wow, I hear mixed things.
Sita: Would you ever move somewhere else? And if you would, where would that be?
Kim: I love living close to my family, we all live in this gated community. I love being so close to everyone. So, I don’t know if I would move, I would have a vacation home, but I would miss my family.
Sita: So what is your favorite place on Earth?
Kim: I mean, I would like having a place in New York or I would love some place in the snow like in Utah or Colorado. It would be my favorite place to get another house, but I wouldn’t move there permanently.
Sita: So you prefer cold weather?
Kim: I think for another home maybe. It can be fun for the kids to grow up and go skiing. I love to ski so I think that would be fun for the kids.
David: Yeah, to have different seasons other than Spring.
Sita: Have you ever been to Spain?
Kim: I have, once.
Sita: Where? Madrid or Barcelona?
Kim: Madrid.
Sita: Did you like it?
Kim: Yeah it was fun, the food was good. I was only there for three days. I wish I went now, so I would know more and know where to go. Like that was eight years ago or something.
Sita: Come back then!
Kim: I know, I want to come back for sure. I am definitely going to do it.
Sita: What about food, what is your favorite food?
Kim: I love pizza, anything with Oreo cookies, like ice-cream with Oreos. But I do eat pretty healthy though. So this is all dreaming. Like I love pasta, a lot of bad things I can’t eat.
Sita: You have Armenian origins and you and your family had a trip to the city where you ancestors came from. How did you feel, how was it?
Kim: It was so powerful. I knew my dad had always dreamed to go there, but he had never been, so it was cool that we were able to go. I want to go back, because it was just this powerful feeling, just knowing that not even my grandparents had been there. So my great grandparents came from there. It was cool to be there and share with my cousins and other family members what it was like. The food was good, the people were so nice.
Sita: The lifestyle is really different from here right?
Kim: Yeah, everyone was so welcoming and so warm and everyone wanted to cook for us.
David: Wow, I love that, when someone cooks for you is very special.
Sita: How do you manage to be a mom and, at the same, time a businesswoman?
Kim: You definitely have to prioritize and micromanage your day. Like 6 am wake up, 6:30 gym, 7:35 breakfast, 7:45 shower. I literally map it all out and I get tired a lot, I am not going to lie. But I love what I do, I love working. I think I have definitely scaled down what I want to do in favor of what I have to do, like work stuff, because I do want to spend with my kids and my husband as much time as possible, but in the day time I phone, I work. So it takes a really organized person to be able to fulfill everything. For example, my kids were out of town last night, so I was with Kanye and no babies, by myself. But then I had to see six or seven different friends. So I was like “Everyone meet at one place” so I could see everyone, because this my one night.
Sita: I do the same when I go to Spain.
Kim: Yeah, I don’t have time, you know what I mean. So we had so much fun and we all stayed up and ordered pizza. It was fun night, but you really got to prioritize most of the time.
Photo by Sita Abellan, Dress by Paco Rabanne, Jacket and shoes by Prada, choker by Sita Abellan
Sita: How do you feel about the almost total absence of privacy that you have in your life. Like, do you ever get tired of that?
Kim: Yeah, I think really knew what I was getting myself into, but I think you never know at what level until you experience it. I have obviously learned to live with it and I love my life.
There are definitely times when you want to be more private, but I figured out how to manage that.
I set boundaries, like if I go to a restaurant and I just don’t feel like taking a ton photos tonight, I’ll go to a restaurant that is more low-key. I mean, I try not to say no, but there are restaurants and hotels that don’t allow pictures, so I can always go there to eat, and that is the rule and then I can enjoy my friends. But I do live my life differently now. Before, I used to go out for breakfast, lunch, dinner and be seen with everyone. Now, I am home a lot more. You can figure it out.
Sita: But it might be difficult.
Kim: No, it definitely is difficult, and I never like having so much security, but if you want your privacy, you got to do what you got to do.
Sita: If you had to define yourself, would you be more of a creative or more of business girl?
Kim: I am more business, for sure.
Sita: What do you think the world must change?
Kim: So much. I mean, I am so afraid to live in this world.
Sita: Make a wish for this world.
Kim: Not to be so cliché, but for everyone to be at peace. I think in the US it would be major gun laws. Just no violence and peace everywhere. But this world scares me, everyday.
David: Yeah, me too, I am a little bit concerned with the future, because there are so many bad feelings everywhere.
Sita: What is a dream you haven’t realized yet?
Kim: My dream would be that my family, my friends and everyone are healthy. And that my whole family lives in a huge farm and we enjoy life. I wish for everyone to be happy, healthy and at peace. And not afraid of the future, because I spend my time worrying about it.
Diana Soto is an editor at ODDA Magazine. Keen on writing, fashion, photography and art, she has made her dream job out of a lifelong passion.
Diana Soto
Diana Soto is an editor at ODDA Magazine. Keen on writing, fashion, photography and art, she has made her dream job out of a lifelong passion.
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