Kim Kardashian is one of the most recognizable figures in modern pop culture, but her career extends far beyond reality television. Born in Los Angeles in 1980, she became a household name through Keeping Up with the Kardashians before building major businesses in fashion, beauty and skincare. Her entrepreneurial career eventually made her a billionaire, with Forbes estimating her fortune at $1.9 billion in 2026, largely because of her ownership stake in SKIMS.
Today, Kardashian’s public profile includes television, fashion, entrepreneurship, acting and criminal-justice advocacy. She has also pursued a legal career through California’s Law Office Study Program, passing the state’s First-Year Law Students’ Examination in 2021 but falling short on the California bar exam in 2025. Meanwhile, her entertainment career continues through Hulu’s The Kardashians and her role in the legal drama All’s Fair.
Who Is Kim Kardashian? A Short Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kimberly Noel Kardashian |
| Date of Birth | October 21, 1980 |
| Age | 45 |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Media personality, entrepreneur, actress and television personality |
| Years Active | 2003–present |
| Education | Marymount High School |
| Famous For | Keeping Up with the Kardashians, SKIMS and her business ventures |
| Father | Robert Kardashian |
| Mother | Kris Jenner |
| Siblings | Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Rob Kardashian |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse | Kanye West, married 2014–2022 |
| Children | Four |
| Net Worth | Approximately $1.9 billion, according to Forbes’ 2026 estimate |
| Source of Income | SKIMS, beauty and skincare businesses, entertainment and other business ventures |
Biographical information is supported by Biography.com, EBSCO Research and Forbes. Kardashian attended Marymount High School and graduated in 1998.
Kim Kardashian’s Early Life and Rise to Fame
Childhood and Family Background
Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, to attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner. She grew up in Beverly Hills alongside her siblings Kourtney, Khloé and Rob. Her father became nationally known for his role as a member of O.J. Simpson’s defense team during the highly publicized 1990s murder trial.
Kardashian attended Marymount High School in Los Angeles and graduated in 1998. Her early exposure to celebrity culture and entertainment helped place her within Los Angeles’ social scene. Before becoming a television star herself, she worked as a personal assistant and developed connections within the entertainment world.
From Socialite to Television Personality
Kardashian initially attracted significant media attention in the 2000s, but the biggest turning point came with Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The reality series premiered in 2007 and transformed Kardashian and her family into a global entertainment brand.
The show documented relationships, family disagreements, major life events and business ambitions, giving viewers an unusually direct look at the Kardashian-Jenner family’s expanding public profile. Over time, Kardashian became one of the show’s central figures and one of its most commercially successful personalities.
Building a Career Beyond Reality Television
Rather than remaining dependent on television, Kardashian gradually turned her visibility into commercial opportunities. She appeared in films and television projects, launched products, worked in fashion and developed a substantial social-media presence.
Her early business projects included the D-A-S-H boutique, which she opened with sisters Kourtney and Khloé in 2006. Later ventures in cosmetics, fragrance, fashion and shapewear allowed her to shift from celebrity personality toward entrepreneur.
Kim Kardashian’s Business Empire
SKIMS and the Billion-Dollar Breakthrough
The most important business chapter of Kardashian’s career is SKIMS. The shapewear company began as a direct-to-consumer brand and expanded into a broader apparel business offering products including underwear, loungewear, clothing and men’s products.
Forbes reported that SKIMS reached a $5 billion valuation after a $225 million funding round in 2025. Forbes also attributed the overwhelming majority of Kardashian’s estimated fortune to her stake in the company.
Beauty, Skincare and Brand Expansion
Kardashian has also built businesses in cosmetics and skincare. She previously launched KKW Beauty, selling a 20% stake to Coty in 2021. After that business was shut down, she introduced SKKN By Kim, a skincare-focused brand. Forbes reported that Coty later divested its KKW Beauty stake to SKIMS in 2025.
This progression illustrates a broader strategy in Kardashian’s career: using an established personal brand to create companies with independent commercial value. Instead of simply endorsing products, she has increasingly positioned herself as an owner and co-founder.
What Is Kim Kardashian’s Net Worth?
Forbes estimated Kardashian’s net worth at $1.9 billion in 2026. The figure represents an estimate rather than a fixed amount of cash or publicly traded assets, and it can change as private-company valuations and other assets change.
The biggest factor behind that valuation is SKIMS. Forbes reported that the company’s $5 billion valuation following its 2025 funding round significantly increased Kardashian’s estimated wealth. Her other sources of income and assets include skincare, entertainment and other business interests.
Kim Kardashian’s Television and Acting Career
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Keeping Up with the Kardashians remains the foundation of Kardashian’s entertainment career. The series ran for 20 seasons and became a major global pop-culture phenomenon. It eventually ended, but the franchise continued through new projects and the Hulu series The Kardashians.
In 2026, Hulu expanded access to the original franchise by acquiring U.S. streaming rights to all 20 seasons of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, along with selected spin-offs and specials. The deal demonstrates the lasting value of the Kardashian television catalog years after the original series ended.
The Kardashians on Hulu
The family’s story continued with The Kardashians, which moved the franchise into a new era centered on their businesses, relationships, families and increasingly international profiles. Hulu describes the series as a continuation of the Kardashian-Jenner story, now shaped by global fame and major business empires.
As the family moved from traditional cable reality television into streaming, Kardashian’s role also changed. She became increasingly involved not only as an on-camera personality but as a businesswoman whose companies and professional ambitions formed major parts of the storyline.
All’s Fair and Her Legal-Drama Role
Kardashian took another major acting step with All’s Fair, a 2025 Hulu legal drama created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz and Joe Baken. She stars alongside Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close.
The series follows female divorce attorneys who leave a male-dominated law firm to establish their own practice. Kardashian plays divorce attorney Allura Grant, making the role especially notable because of her real-world pursuit of a legal career. Hulu lists the first season as nine episodes.
Kim Kardashian’s Legal Career and Advocacy
Why Did Kim Kardashian Study Law?
Kardashian began pursuing law in 2019 through California’s Law Office Study Program rather than attending a traditional accredited law school. The route involves studying law under the supervision of an experienced attorney or judge and completing required examinations.
Her interest in law has been closely connected with criminal-justice reform. Over several years, she has used her public platform to draw attention to cases involving incarceration and sentencing, making legal advocacy an important part of her professional identity beyond entertainment.
Passing the Baby Bar
In December 2021, Kardashian announced that she had passed California’s First-Year Law Students’ Examination, commonly called the “baby bar,” on her fourth attempt. Passing that examination allowed her to continue her legal studies and progress toward the full California bar examination.
The achievement was significant because Kardashian had openly discussed the difficulties of her legal studies. Her journey attracted attention precisely because it was unconventional and because she continued studying despite multiple setbacks.
The California Bar Exam Setback
Kardashian took the California bar exam in July 2025 but did not pass. In November 2025, she publicly confirmed the result and said she intended to continue studying until she succeeded.
As of 2026, she therefore should not be described as a licensed California attorney. Her legal journey remains a work in progress, while her acting career has given her an unusual opportunity to portray a lawyer on television at the same time she continues pursuing the profession in real life.
Family, Relationships and Personal Life
Marriage to Kanye West
Kardashian married rapper Kanye West in 2014. The couple had four children together before their marriage ended in divorce. A Los Angeles judge declared them legally divorced in March 2022, while custody and financial matters were handled separately.
Their marriage and subsequent divorce became major parts of the public narrative surrounding Kardashian. Despite the intense media attention, her professional life continued to expand, particularly through SKIMS and her other businesses.
Motherhood and Public Life
Kardashian is the mother of four children. Balancing motherhood with a demanding entertainment and business schedule has become a recurring theme in her television appearances and public interviews.
Her family life also remains closely connected to the Kardashian-Jenner media empire. Her sisters and mother have maintained their own careers, while the family’s shared television history continues through Hulu’s Kardashian programming.
A New Chapter in Her Career
Kardashian’s career has increasingly moved away from the simple image of a reality-TV celebrity. She is now simultaneously a business owner, media personality, actress and aspiring lawyer.
That combination helps explain why interest in her remains strong. Each career area reinforces the others: television provides visibility, business creates commercial value, fashion strengthens her cultural influence, and her legal studies add another dimension to her public identity.
What Is Kim Kardashian Doing Now?
Expanding SKIMS
SKIMS remains the central business asset behind Kardashian’s billionaire status. Forbes reported that the company had expanded beyond its original shapewear focus and was growing its physical retail presence, with plans for further expansion.
The company’s evolution is important because it demonstrates how Kardashian’s celebrity platform has been converted into a large-scale consumer business. SKIMS is no longer positioned simply as a celebrity clothing label; it has developed into a major apparel company with outside investors and a multibillion-dollar valuation.
Continuing Entertainment Projects
Kardashian remains part of the Hulu Kardashian franchise while also developing her acting career. All’s Fair established a new television role that directly connects with her real-life legal ambitions. Hulu’s current programming information lists the show among its original series.
Her television career therefore continues to evolve rather than simply repeat the format that made her famous. The shift from reality television to scripted acting represents another stage in her broader entertainment strategy.
Pursuing Her Legal Ambitions
The 2025 bar-exam result did not end Kardashian’s legal ambitions. Her public statements indicate that she intends to continue studying and attempt the examination again.
That persistence has become one of the more distinctive parts of her recent career. For someone already successful in entertainment and business, the decision to spend years studying law represents a long-term professional challenge rather than an obvious financial necessity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How old is Kim Kardashian?
A: Kim Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. As of August 2026, she is 45 years old. She became internationally famous through Keeping Up with the Kardashians and later developed major businesses, particularly SKIMS.
Q: What is Kim Kardashian’s net worth in 2026?
A: Forbes estimates Kardashian’s 2026 net worth at approximately $1.9 billion. The largest component of her fortune is her stake in SKIMS, which Forbes reported was valued at $5 billion following a 2025 funding round. Net-worth estimates can change as private-company valuations and other assets fluctuate.
Q: Is Kim Kardashian a lawyer?
A: No. Kardashian has pursued legal training through California’s Law Office Study Program and passed the state’s First-Year Law Students’ Examination in 2021. However, she did not pass the California bar exam she took in July 2025, so she was not a licensed California attorney as of 2026.
Q: What company made Kim Kardashian a billionaire?
A: SKIMS is the company most responsible for Kardashian’s billionaire status. Forbes says the shapewear and apparel business was valued at $5 billion after raising $225 million in 2025. Kardashian’s ownership stake represents the largest portion of her estimated wealth.
Q: What TV shows is Kim Kardashian known for?
A: Kardashian became famous through Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which ran for 20 seasons. The family later returned with Hulu’s The Kardashians. She also starred in the scripted legal drama All’s Fair, alongside Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts and other major actors.
Conclusion
Kim Kardashian’s career is a striking example of how celebrity fame can evolve into a much broader professional empire. She began as a reality-TV personality but transformed her visibility into businesses spanning shapewear, apparel, beauty and skincare. SKIMS became the defining business success of that transformation and helped make her a billionaire by Forbes’ estimates.
Her story is still developing. Kardashian continues to appear on television, expand her business interests, act in scripted projects and pursue her goal of becoming a lawyer. Whether viewed through entertainment, entrepreneurship or legal advocacy, her career remains unusually multifaceted. For readers following her latest projects, business growth and legal journey, the next chapter is likely to be just as closely watched as the ones that came before.
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