Kim wants us to see her relentless hustle and willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve her dreams, framing the dog borrow as a quirky, iconic origin story.
Insiders know the reality: Kim didn't even own a dog. She leveraged Nicole Richie’s pet for clout because she was desperate for a print credit back in 2008.
The story comes from the new book "Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future" by Jonathan Van Meter. The cover in question is the 2008 issue of K9 Magazine.
It’s a rags-to-riches (or rags-to-Richie-dog) story that proves Kim’s ambition has always been bigger than her wardrobe budget.
Let’s spill the tea on the most surprisingly humble beginning in pop culture history. We all know Kim Kardashian has graced the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and just about every glossy publication on the planet. But did you know her very first magazine cover wasn’t from a high-fashion editorial?
It was K9 Magazine. And according to the new book "Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future" by Jonathan Van Meter, she didn’t even own a dog for the shoot. She borrowed Nicole Richie’s pooch because she was that desperate for a print credit.
The book, which hit shelves on Tuesday, revisits Kim’s determination to land her first cover back in 2008. At the time, the idea of Kim as a global fashion icon was a distant dream. She was a reality TV star trying to break into the mainstream press.
So, what did she do? She called in a favor. She used Nicole Richie’s dog as a prop, posing alongside the animal to secure that coveted cover slot.
It’s a hilarious admission that highlights just how far she had to stretch to get her foot in the door. What makes this story truly iconic isn’t just the borrowing; it’s the aftermath. Fast-forward nearly two decades, and Kim’s private office walls are lined with enlarged, framed magazine covers.
You’d think she’d hide the K9 issue in shame, right? Wrong. When her staff suggested taking the doggie cover down to make room for more prestigious spots, Kim refused.
She reportedly told them, "That was my first cover! Put it right next to Vogue!" She proudly displays the K9 issue alongside her major fashion moments, owning the absurdity of it all. Kim has previously laughed about this debut on her show "The Kardashians," admitting she’d do just about anything to land a cover, even though she’s not exactly a dog person.
This anecdote serves as a perfect metaphor for Kim’s entire career: if the opportunity exists, she will take it, borrow the props if she has to, and then frame the evidence as proof of her hustle. It’s a rags-to-Richie-dog story that proves her ambition has always been bigger than her initial resources.
