Kim Kardashian's celebrity hairstylist, Chris Appleton, has come under fire after revealing he charged a staggering $200,000 for past services, a disclosure that coincided with fans roasting her Met Gala look. The 42-year-old stylist, whose clientele includes Jennifer Lopez and Kris Jenner, first addressed the hefty fee on a January episode of the U Up? podcast. 'Like 100K, but that was to travel and stuff,' he explained at the time. 'That was a whole situation.'
A day after fans criticized Kardashian's tousled blonde locks at Monday's Met Gala, dubbing them a 'rat's nest,' Appleton appeared on the Great Company With Jamie Laing podcast and admitted the actual fee was much higher. 'It was $200,000,' he revealed. 'But I said 100 because I was afraid of what everyone would say. I said it, and then I was scared.' He went on to defend his work, insisting, 'There's plenty of times I do work for free. There's plenty of times I don't get paid that amount of money.'
Breakdown of the Fee
Appleton later explained how the $200,000 fee added up, without disclosing who actually paid it. 'It was a lot of traveling and it was a whole commitment,' he said. 'So when you break it down, it's not as much. Also 50 percent tax in America - that's half. And then your agent takes 20 percent, and your business manager takes five.' He offered a similar explanation in January on the U Up? podcast, pointing out that his net earnings shrink considerably after taxes and other deductions.
It remains unclear how much Kardashian actually paid Appleton for her Met Gala look, but she showcased his work in a behind-the-scenes video for fans.
Fan Reactions
The podcast revelations prompted a wave of social media ridicule. One Reddit critic wrote, 'Hairstylist who has a 200k fee and her hair still looked like a rats nest… being poor saves me.' Another chimed in, 'Dude I make my own hair look like a rats nest... Can I pay myself $200k???' One posted, 'She could have just stuck her finger in an electric socket and achieved the same result. Saved 200K.' And another added, 'Wtf does a 'Hair Stylist' need a business manager & an agent?'
Appleton's Imposter Syndrome
Despite his A-list clientele and jaw-dropping fees, Appleton admitted he still struggles with imposter syndrome. 'We all have that self-doubt,' he told People in January. 'Every job I do, I'm always still a little nervous. I'm always a little anxious, still. Every video I post on Instagram or TikTok, I'm always a little apprehensive.' He added, 'I like that to an extent because it is healthy. I never want to be arrogant and think, 'Oh, I know it all,' because I really don't. No one does. I think that's bulls***.'
Kardashian's Met Gala Ensemble
Meanwhile, Kardashian's Met Gala ensemble turned heads almost as much as her hair. She stunned in a sculpted orange fembot creation by British artists Allen Jones and Whitaker Malem. The striking breastplate was spray-painted at a Kent car bodyshop, MPS Body And Paint, by owner Martyn Smith, who was sworn to secrecy. Smith, 55, told the BBC he was approached by Malem and Whitaker because he had sprayed their cars in the past. 'I'd repaired and painted their car for them. They turned up here one day, asked me if I would basically paint this,' he explained. 'I had 24 hours to do it in and it meant I had to drop some work to do it, but I thought what an honor and a pleasure, as well as a job, to do it.'
Smith said he only realized who it was for when the designers came to collect it and was then sworn to secrecy. Kardashian traveled to England twice for fittings, with the entire ensemble taking three weeks to complete. She was so thrilled with the final result that she called the designers personally. 'She phoned us herself, we've only ever dealt with her and she's very, very amenable. She wore it fantastically well. I thought it looked just as good on her as it did the day I finished it, if not better,' Smith said.
