When we talk about Marilyn Monroe, several iconic moments come to mind that consecrated the actress during her life but also after her death, because after almost 60 years since her unfortunate departure, she continues to occupy an important place in cinema and pop culture.
In 1953, when Marilyn Monroe was only 27 years old, she starred in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, one of the most important movies in her career thanks to a sequence that remained in history. The one in which she performs the song ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ in a strident and iconic pink dress, surrounded by gentlemen.
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The history of Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress
That scene from ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ is considered one of the most iconic in Marilyn Monroe’s career, to the point of being replicated multiple times for its impact on popular culture.
Beyond the meaning of the song and the elements present in the scene, in addition to the entourage of dancers behind Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei Lee with a peculiar choreography, the dress that the actress wore as the main garment of her look, has become one of the most iconic of all her closet.
The pink dress was created by costume designer William Travilla, better known only as Travilla, who, at the time, had already won an Oscar for his work in 1948′s ‘Adventures of Don Juan’ (‘The Mocker of Castile’).
‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ was just the beginning of the good relationship between the designer and Marilyn Monroe. In total, he designed dresses for eight of the actress’s films. A curious fact is that Travilla later confessed that their relationship went beyond work, as they had a little fling.
About Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress design
It should be noted that the design of Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress was not simple and it was just that what captivated the seventh art: The satin dress was long pink with a strapless straight neckline, bare arms, and a back slit.
In addition, it was decorated with a large bow on the back and a thin strap, in the same shade as the dress. What completed the dress in a special way was a pair of long gloves in the same color that reached almost to the shoulders, with lots of jewels and diamonds, very ad hoc to the theme of the song.
The importance of Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress
That pink dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ was auctioned more than 10 years ago, on July 11, 2010, for a price between $150,000 and $250,000 USD with a final cost of $300,000 USD, under the description: “The most important movie outfit ever auctioned”.
Rumors point out that the auctioned dress was not the original one from ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’, as it is said that the real one was lined on the inside with felt to maintain the stiffness during the choreography of ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’.
In addition, over the years, the scene but in particular the dress has served as inspiration for pop culture, as several celebrities have opted for the look of Marilyn Monroe, some of the most remembered is Madonna in the music video ‘Material Girl’.
This is how Marilyn Monroe’s pink dress has transcended over the years, proving that it is one of the most important garments of the unforgettable actress.
Story originally published in Cultura Colectiva in Spanish.
