The daughter of Armenian American attorney Robert Kardashian, Kim Kardashian built one of the world's most recognizable personal brands — and has consistently used her platform to advocate for Armenian Genocide recognition and connect with her Armenian roots.
Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Robert Kardashian, was a prominent Armenian American attorney whose family emigrated from Armenia to the United States. Her mother is Kris Jenner. Kim grew up in Beverly Hills and entered public life in the mid-2000s, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in the world through the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which ran from 2007 to 2021.
While her early fame was driven by reality television, Kardashian built her public persona into one of the most commercially successful personal brands in history. She is the founder of SKIMS, a shapewear and clothing company valued at over $4 billion, and KKW Beauty (now SKKN by Kim), a cosmetics line. In 2021, she passed the "baby bar" examination in California and has pursued a legal career focused on criminal justice reform.
🇦🇲 Armenian Heritage & Advocacy
Kim Kardashian has been one of the most prominent Armenian American voices in popular culture. Her father Robert Kardashian's family emigrated from Armenia, and Kim has embraced that heritage publicly throughout her career. In April 2015, she traveled to Armenia with her then-husband Kanye West and her sister Khloé for Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, visiting the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex in Yerevan. The trip brought global media attention to the centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenian Genocide Advocacy
April 24 holds particular significance for Kim Kardashian. She has used her platform — which reaches hundreds of millions of people — to recognize Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day each year, posting about the genocide, sharing historical context, and calling on governments to formally recognize it. In 2021, when President Biden became the first sitting U.S. president to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, Kardashian was among those who publicly celebrated the recognition.
Her 2015 trip to Armenia was a landmark moment. Alongside Kanye West, she visited Yerevan, met with the President of Armenia, laid flowers at the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, and participated in commemorative events marking the 100th anniversary of the genocide. The visit was covered by outlets worldwide and brought an extraordinary degree of public attention to Armenian history and the ongoing push for international recognition.
"I'm so proud to be Armenian. This trip has been one of the most emotional and important experiences of my life. I feel a connection to this land and these people that I can't fully put into words."
— Kim Kardashian, on her 2015 trip to Armenia
Business Empire
SKIMS
Shapewear & Apparel · Founded 2019
Co-founded by Kim Kardashian, SKIMS became one of the fastest-growing shapewear and apparel brands in the world. Valued at over $4 billion, it has expanded from shapewear into full clothing lines, sleepwear, and swimwear.
SKKN by Kim
Skincare & Beauty · Rebranded 2022
A skincare line evolved from her earlier KKW Beauty brand, focusing on minimalist, high-quality skincare formulations. One of many ventures in the beauty and wellness space.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Television · 2007–2021
The long-running reality series that introduced the Kardashian family to global audiences and became one of the most watched reality programs in television history, running for 20 seasons.
Criminal Justice Reform
Advocacy · Ongoing
Kim Kardashian has worked directly with politicians and advocates on criminal justice reform, famously contributing to the commutation of Alice Marie Johnson's sentence. She passed the California baby bar exam in 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Kim Kardashian is half-Armenian through her father, Robert Kardashian, whose family emigrated from Armenia to the United States. She has embraced her Armenian heritage publicly throughout her career, visiting Armenia, recognizing Genocide Remembrance Day, and speaking about her roots in numerous interviews.
Kim Kardashian's father is Robert Kardashian (1944–2003), a prominent Armenian American attorney best known for being a key member of O.J. Simpson's defense team. His grandparents emigrated from Armenia to the United States. See the Robert Kardashian page for more.
Yes. In April 2015, Kim Kardashian traveled to Armenia with Kanye West and her sister Khloé for the centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. She visited the Tsitsernakaberd memorial, met with Armenian officials, and participated in Genocide Remembrance Day events. The visit was widely covered internationally and brought major attention to Armenian Genocide recognition.
SKIMS is a shapewear, clothing, and apparel brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian in 2019. It quickly became one of the most successful direct-to-consumer clothing brands, valued at over $4 billion. SKIMS is known for its inclusive sizing and its expansion into full clothing collections beyond shapewear.
Kim Kardashian has consistently used her enormous social media platform to recognize April 24 (Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day). She visited Armenia in 2015 for the centennial commemoration, publicly celebrated President Biden's 2021 recognition of the genocide, and has spoken about Armenian history and her family's roots in numerous public forums. Her advocacy has reached hundreds of millions of followers who might otherwise not be aware of the genocide.
Kim Kardashian is pursuing a legal career. She passed the California "First-Year Law Students' Examination" (the "baby bar") in 2021 and has been studying law through reading the law — an apprenticeship model allowed in California. She has been actively involved in criminal justice reform, working on high-profile cases including the successful commutation of Alice Marie Johnson's life sentence.