Kim Kardashian Is Ready for A Gucci Thong Revival

When you already have a holy grail fashion piece, what comes next? Wearing a revamped version, of course. That’s what Kim Kardashian did this weekend with one of fashion’s most viral and risqué designs: the Gucci thong.

On Sunday night, Kardashian left Monaco by boat after supporting boyfriend Lewis Hamilton at the Formula One Grand Prix. Her seafaring attire? A long-sleeved, sparkling black Gucci gown with a plunging open back and thin-strapped thong. Cinched by crystal-covered “GG” hardware, the sparkling cutout detail wasn’t your average “whale tail.” The piece first appeared on Kate Moss in the brand’s spring 2026 “Gucci Primavera” show, led by Kardashian’s close friend Demna, earlier this year. However, it was also a full-circle one for the star, as well.

Kardashian’s cheeky moment was actually her second venture in a Gucci thong—almost 30 years since its debut. In 2018, the Skims founder made headlines after posting herself wearing the Italian brand’s original black thong with flat silver hardware on Instagram. The barely-there piece originally caused a stir when Tom Ford presented it on both female and male models in his spring 1997 fashion show—and has remained in the style lexicon ever since.

The Gucci thong is now something of fashion legend, but is beginning to have somewhat of a revival under Demna. Late last year, the designer teased the direction of his Gucci designs when Hailey Bieber stepped out in a logo-adorned thong beneath a black crystal mesh dress. When Moss later hit the runway in the aforementioned sparkly number in February, it was clear a second coming of the piece was imminent. Kardashian’s thong outing proved the style’s staying power, while also cementing her own prowess. Indeed, it takes a special power to wear both a rare vintage piece and its revived version almost three decades later.

It’s no secret that Kardashian’s archive of vintage fashion is particularly vast—and Tom Ford-era Gucci is one of the chapters she dabbles in most. From a belt-strapped LBD first worn by Mariah Carey to a white, hip-baring dress from Ford’s final Gucci collection, there’s no shortage of pieces or styles she’s tried on or off the red carpet. It’s also clear that Kardashian has now followed Demna from Balenciaga to Gucci, which she wore across multiple occasions during her weekend in Monaco. Which design—archival or revived—she wears next from the Italian label is anyone’s guess.