Kourtney Kardashian on Why She ‘Loved’ Receiving Backlash on BooHoo Collab: ‘I’m in a Position to Shine a Light’

Kourtney Kardashian is not afraid of a little controversy — especially if she thinks it will create change.

On the season finale of The Kardashians, the reality star spoke about the criticism she received for her fall 2022 collaboration with fashion retailer boohoo, which included two sustainability-driven collections. Critics said the green mission didn’t match the practices of boohoo, since the brand is known as a fast fashion company.

“I actually love that because I feel like I’m in a position to shine a light on that problem,” Kardashian, 44, said on Thursday’s episode about the backlash.

The fashion mogul also said she is “not a sustainability expert” and doesn’t claim to be one, but that she just sees herself as a vehicle to help make change. She also spoke about using the collaboration as an opportunity to push boohoo further to make change.

Kardashian also spoke about how she knew there would be criticism of the partnership, but that she wanted to “make noise” about the root problem of unsustainable clothing production.

“Fast fashion isn’t going anywhere so why not push them to make these changes?” she asked.

She also vowed to ensure her future fashion endeavors are more sustainable and live up to her goals of accessible stylish clothing in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.

The Poosh founder was announced as the new ambᴀssador for the fashion retailer in September, and she teamed up with the brand on a partnership that was intended to be grounded in her signature runway-worthy style and sustainable, conscious practices.

“When boohoo first approached me with this idea that was all about sustainability and style, I was concerned about the effects of the fast fashion industry on our planet,” Kardashian said of the collaboration in a statement at the time. “It’s been an enlightening experience speaking directly with industry experts.”

The quick negative response and criticism of the partnership prompted Kardashian to share a paragraph-long explanation on her decision to take on the project via social media.

“I went back and forth about doing this collection with @boohoo because the first thing I think about when I hear the words ‘fast fashion’ is that it’s bad for our planet,” Kardashian wrote on an Instagram post that was shared on Sept. 13, the same day her first boohoo collection was set to debut at New York Fashion Week.

The “sustainability ambᴀssador” confessed that she expected the backlash “because the two just don’t go hand in hand.” Yet, she hoped that the partnership would raise awareness on the “impacts of fast fashion on our planet.”

“I thought about how pushing Boohoo to make some initial changes and then holding them accountable to larger change would be impactful. It’s definitely making some noise which is exactly what I was hoping for,” she added.

Kardashian concluded optimistically in her initial response to the backlash, inviting experts to reach out so that both she and boohoo could further the partnership’s message. “I will be elaborating on their changes, how we’ve made this line more sustainable, and what I’ve learned we as consumers can do to help… all to come!!”