Kim Kardashian dash down under: Show me the money!

Kim Kardashian’s visit to Australia this week is set to earn her close to $1 million. But with her family feuding and her marriage in serious strife, many are wondering – is it really worth it?

Stepping off a private jet, dressed in a figure-hugging designer dress, new diamond earrings hanging from her ears and a handbag worth thousands dangling from her wrist, American reality TV star Kim Kardashian looks every inch the woman who has “made it”. She flies first class, stays in luxury hotel suites, dines on the finest cuisine – and it doesn’t cost her a cent. For her recent 31st birthday celebrations in Las Vegas, Kim was paid hundreds of thousands just to turn up at Marquee nightclub, sip champagne, eat cake and party with fans.

She was there for barely an hour, but the party cost a staggering amount to stage. As well as her huge appearance fee, there were bottles of vintage champers, designer canapes and an $1800 birthday cake – all in aid of a girl who found fame on a reality TV series. Just a week before, the model-turned-marketing opportunity had flown halfway across the world to the United Arab Emirates to ride a few camels and launch the Millions of Milkshakes bar at The Dubai Mall. Again, it was first class all the way. “Kim only flies first class or by private jet, and her mum, and any other Kardashian family members who travel with her, must also fly first class,” one of Kim’s business associates says.

“She tends to demand ‘1A’ seating, meaning she wants to be right at the front of the plane with her family immediately behind, so that ‘normal’ people are as far away as possible.” In Dubai, rested from their luxury travel, it was down to business, with Kim and her manager, mum Kris Jenner, heading from one publicity opportunity to the next – all designed for maximum exposure. There was some spruiking at cosmetics store Sephora, photos atop camels at luxury hotel Atlantis – where her suite reportedly cost $25,000 a night – and an exclusive evening to host at At.mosphere restaurant, in the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

All in all, Kim’s appearances, promotions and products netted her close to $1 million in just a few weeks. The gravy train keeps rolling along. This week, Kim and her younger sister Khloe launch their range of handbags at David Jones in Sydney before Kim jets to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup Carnival’s Emirates Stakes Day, as a guest of Swisse vitamins. Rumour has it she’ll be paid hundreds of thousands for her brief appearance at Swisse’s marquee. Awaiting her at her five-star hotel, rumoured to be Crown, where a celebrity-friendly suite can cost tens of thousands of dollars a night, will be a selection of couture gowns from Melbourne designer team J’Aton, dresses from Arthur Galan and hats from milliner Kerrie Stanley. Yet friends say Kim’s lavish lifestyle and insatiable desire to make money is costing her far more than she realises.