The 12-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West showed off long, shimmery blue nails decorated with silver spikes, hoops, and Japanese lettering on her Instagram Story
North West is 12 years old and already one of the most talked-about style figures in her generation. The eldest daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, now known as Ye, gave fans a look at her latest manicure this week, and it was anything but subtle.
The nails featured spikes, hoops, and Japanese text
North posted photos and video of the new set on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, March 12. The nails were long with a square tip, painted in a semi-translucent, shimmery blue shade, and loaded with silver metal embellishments. Every finger had something different going on. Some nails were studded with tiny silver spikes. Others had small hoop rings looped through them like piercings. Two nails featured hot pink Japanese lettering that spelled out North-chan, a playful reference to the Japanese honorific and a nod to Bomb, her 2024 track with Ye, Ty Dolla $ign, and her younger sister Chicago.
Her right ring finger stood out with a dangling silver gun charm, adding one more layer to an already maxed-out design. The manicure was done by nail artists Akemi Santiago and Noehmi Saldaña, both of whom North tagged in her posts.
She paired the Instagram clip with her own music, playing Piercing on My Hand (Ye Version), a track she released in January as a collaboration with her father.
The manicure fits a pattern of bold choices
North has been leaning into an increasingly edgy personal style over the past year, and the nail art is just the latest example. In September 2025, she appeared to debut piercings on her index and middle fingers, a move that drew immediate attention and criticism online. She responded by dropping Piercing on My Hand, where she leans fully into her aesthetic preferences.
Beyond nails and piercings, North has experimented with black grills, blue contact lenses, faux face tattoos, a nose piercing, and her now-signature blue hair. She also shared a selfie alongside the nail photos this week, posing with her bedazzled hand partially covering her mouth, her blue hair coordinating with the shimmery polish. A black fuzzy hat and black sweatshirt completed the look.
The tween’s style has drawn both admiration and criticism from people who feel the looks are too mature for a 12-year-old. North has not shown any signs of backing down.
Kim Kardashian has defended her daughter’s self-expression
Kardashian, 45, has addressed the conversation around North’s appearance on multiple occasions. During an episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast in October 2025, the SKIMS founder described her daughter as confident and mature, noting that North is unbothered by people who do not like her blue hair or her accessory choices. Kardashian said she would never take away the creativity that makes North happy.
On her sister Khloé’s podcast earlier this year, Kardashian pushed back on the idea that she is too permissive as a parent. She explained that North has plenty of rules and that fashion and beauty are the areas where she allows her daughter to express herself freely.
North and her mother also addressed the chatter directly through their joint TikTok account last October, calling the faux face tattoos, nose piercing, and grills a non-issue.
A potential fashion brand may be in the works
North’s bold personal style may soon extend beyond her own closet. In January, Kardashian filed three trademark applications for the company name NOR11, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE. The filings cover a wide range of products including dresses, footwear, loungewear, hats, watches, jewelry, handbags, and cosmetics cases. The name and scope suggest the brand is being developed on behalf of North, who turned 12 in June 2025.
If the trademark moves forward, it would formalize what has been obvious for a while. North has a distinct aesthetic, a growing audience, and the kind of name recognition that fashion brands spend millions trying to build. Whether she launches a line or simply keeps posting nail art on Instagram, the 12-year-old has made it clear that her style is hers and she is not interested in making it safer for anyone else’s comfort.
Kardashian and West also share three other children. Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 6.
SOURCE: HOLA