People’s Choice Awards 2021: Kim Kardashian Mentions Kanye West in Her Acceptance Speech

Kim Kardashian is giving credit where credit is due when it comes to her estranged husband Kanye West. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was presented with the Fashion Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday, December 7. The Skims founder, 42, rocked Balenciaga for the awards show and took a moment to thank her ex for his influence in her fashion journey.

“I am honestly so humbled to be here. I started off as a closet organizer and a stylist, so the fact that I’m winning a Fashion Icon Award is a pinch-me moment,” she said after accepting the award from Tracee Ellis Ross. “I’m humbled every single day that designers are willing to work with me. There was a time when they weren’t. Thank you Zac Posen who dressed me and took me to my first CFDA Awards and so many amazing designers, like Ricardo [Tisci] and Olivier [Rousteing] that really believed in me. Well, probably talked into it by getting a call from Kanye.”

She continued, “So thank you to Kanye even for really introducing me to the fashion world. I fell in love with fashion. This is a dream that I get to wake up and wear these amazing clothes and try new things, take a risk. I’m so humbled.” West has had a heavy influence on Kardashian’s style over the years, with the KKW Beauty founder gushing over her ex in an October profile for The Wall Street Journal. Not only did she acknowledge that the Yeezy designer has “a piece of” her shapewear brand Skims, Kardashian credited West with giving the team not just “inspiration but also information.”

“I think he enjoys the process… Kanye will always be the most inspirational person to me,” she continued. Kardashian even credited her former husband with encouraging her to simplify her branding. “He expressed that there were too many branding situations. He’s always super simple,” she explained. “I really wanted to condense my beauty brands. I wanted one place, one website, where everything can live.”

Kardashian filed for divorce from West in February after nearly seven years of marriage and four kids together – daughters North, 8, and Chicago, 3, and sons Saint, 5, and Psalm, 2. While West has publicly made it known that he wants to reconcile with his wife, the reality personality is reportedly dating comedian Pete Davidson.