The Kardashians have been dominating pop culture for almost two decades. Since their entrance into the spotlight with the hit reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” in 2007, the family has evolved into a lucrative dynasty, giving rise to million- and billion-dollar businesses. Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Kylie Jenner’s eponymous makeup brand, just to name a few. With matriarch Kris at the helm, they’ve mastered the art of influence and impact (long before it became a trend), and that legacy of influence is still going strong for the next generation. The leader of the pack? North West.
While West is only twelve years old, she’s already well on her way to icon status. Though her parents are two well-known figures in their own right—her mother championing social media culture and her father having crafted a distinct musical legacy. To no surprise, both of these qualities have passed down to West, from the TikTok account she shares with her mother, which has nearly 20 million followers, to collaborating with artists like FKA Twigs as a rapper.
The budding star is quickly carving a path outside of the identity of being a member of the powerful, Kardashian-Jenner lineage, especially seen with her i-D feature at just ten years old. When asked to describe herself in three words, she said, “Umm… The Best Ever,” and that sensibility can be seen through her effortless posts that show her edgy aesthetic, from bold, aqua blue knotless braids to curated photo dumps of memories with friends and family.
Yet, there’s one quality that’s especially noteworthy about the young star’s accelerated evolution, her style. Within the past few years, West has produced plenty of style moments that are awe-inspiring, and quite advanced than most kids her age. Most notably, she wore a black corset, pleated denim miniskirt, heart-shaped handbag, and chunky platform boots during a trip to Rome, creating a grunge statement. Her ensembles while attending Fashion Week with her mother follow a similar style ethos; one Balenciaga look that particularly captivated our attention: a Speed Hunters sweatshirt, distressed jeans layered over sweatpants, and the brand’s Hardcroc shoes.
With such bold choices, it’s no surprise that the twelve year old’s style has garnered controversy. After wearing the corset in Rome, social media users expressed their disdain with comments like, “looks 16 but only 12 is mind blowing to me sorry,” and “Where’s her dad? Smh.” More recently, she debuted her temporary facial tattoos in a video on Oct. 21, further showing her affinity for the goth-inspired look, despite public disapproval.
During a recent appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Kim defended her daughter’s boundary-pushing style. “I’m like, ‘Babe if you want blue hair, it is what it is….I would never take that creativity away from her,” she said. “I’m doing the best that I can, and my babies are good babies. So, I just urge everyone not to be judgmental and to have grace.” She also shared North’s perspective which is just as unapologetic as her fashion sense: “Mom, I saw this, and I don’t really care if someone says they don’t like my blue hair… I probably wouldn’t be hanging out with those people.”
The public’s apprehension regarding North’s unconventional creativity highlights a pervasive debate surrounding how celebrity children are viewed. Critics argue that her outfit choices can expose a tendency within society to oversexualize young figures and hold them to unfair, adult standards. Observers often project their own views onto these famous children, creating philosophies about maturity and innocence that may not align with the wearer’s genuine intent of self-expression.
Ultimately, North’s style evolution forces a discussion about where the standard for a star child’s appearance should be set—by the public, or by their parents and their own burgeoning self-identity. In the previously mentioned interview with i-D, the twelve year old credits herself as her own fashion icon, proving that for the next generation of influence, self-acceptance is the only validation that truly matters.
Take a scroll through some of North’s best style moments below.
