54 years ago, Marilyn Monroe asked Jean Louis to create something so stunning that ‘only Marilyn Monroe’ could wear it. The occasion? President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration fundraiser, that was held on 19 May 1962 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The dress became especially significant as the event occurred at a time when Kennedy was rumoured to be having an affair with the famous celebrity. Monroe sang ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ and also continued with a song, the lyrics of which she wrote herself in honour of Kennedy.
Louis delivered according to expectation, and made this bedazzling dress that is studded with 2,500 crystals – the holy grail. It was so tight-fitting that he had to actually sew it on Monroe! The colour also matched her skin tone which gave the illusion of nudity.
In 1999, the dress was sold to a collector for $1.25 million – which was the most spectacular world record ever registered for a piece of clothing.
However, after this collector’s recent death, it had been put up for auction once more, along with 1,000-odd Monroe items at Julien’s Auctions. Befitting the grandeur of this iconic dress, it has now been sold for nearly $5 million to Ripley's Believe It or Not.
Interestingly, this event was one of Monroe’s few public appearances before her tragic and untimely death in August 1962.
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
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