 "Get the Marilyn look")
There is an interesting story behind the famous shot of Marilyn Monroe's dress blowing up around her legs as she stands over a subway grating from The Seven Year Itch (1955), originally shot on Manhattan's Lexington Avenue on September 15, 1954 at 1 am. As over 5,000 onlookers - mostly men -whistled and cheered through take after take as Monroe repeatedly missed her lines, her husband at the time, Joe DiMaggio, seethed with anger. But this original footage shot never made it to the screen - the whoops and cheers of the crowd had made it unusable. Finally, it took Monroe another 40 takes to achieve the same scene in a studio. While this story didn't get much attention, Monroe's silken white dress, created by costume designer William Travilla , went on to become one of the most iconic ensembles of the 20th century.
Earlier this week, this infamous ivory halter dress, along with many of Monroe's vintage wares, made its way into the digital closets of fashionistas, style bloggers and of course, the fashion icon's legions of fans across the globe. For the first time ever, The Closet of Marilyn Monroe, an initiative by the late actor's estate (owned by Authentic Brands Group) in partnership with Stylitics - a digital wardrobe website - opened its virtual doors to Monroe's 6.4 million Facebook fans.
If you want to create a wardrobe similar to that of Monroe, all you need to do is set up an account on www.stylitics.com and browse through the Hollywood siren's trademark looks - her sheer cream top paired with an emerald green organza jacket and black pencil skirt, photographed at Bauman Studio in 1956; the classic little black dress she wore to a famous star's cocktail party while charming the media, or her gypsy outfit that became a rage among hipsters. Once you select the look that catches your fancy, shift to the "Items" section and find modern interpretations of the same outfit. For instance, if you want to imitate Monroe's casual look with cat-eye sunglasses, as spotted in photographs taken by celebrity photographer Milton H Greene, Stylitics provides trendy options such as button down shirts by Jonathan Simkhai. Or, opt for Monroe's chic jumpsuit spotted on her as she unwinds on a holiday; Stylitics suggests a similar Paul & Joe jumpsuit and dark blue kitten heels. Stylitics also offers users tips on how to create Monroe's sultry red cocktail dress look: invest in a flowy Carolina Herrera number, almost identical to Monroe's choice. If you like the look, the site redirects you to payment options.
Pernia Qureshi, the founder of the portal, couldn't be happier about the attempt to curate Monroe's looks. "I love Marilyn's style...her feminine and chic fashion sense was leaps and bounds ahead of her time," she says. While it's hard to pick a favourite, Qureshi "loves" the William Travilla dress.
So what does such a venture mean for the style icon's estate? "With social media playing a major role today, it's great to maintain a journal of sorts to showcase your style and be advised by your friends for the same."
Next up, perhaps we would would like to walk through Sophia Loren's wardrobe?
Earlier this week, this infamous ivory halter dress, along with many of Monroe's vintage wares, made its way into the digital closets of fashionistas, style bloggers and of course, the fashion icon's legions of fans across the globe. For the first time ever, The Closet of Marilyn Monroe, an initiative by the late actor's estate (owned by Authentic Brands Group) in partnership with Stylitics - a digital wardrobe website - opened its virtual doors to Monroe's 6.4 million Facebook fans.
If you want to create a wardrobe similar to that of Monroe, all you need to do is set up an account on www.stylitics.com and browse through the Hollywood siren's trademark looks - her sheer cream top paired with an emerald green organza jacket and black pencil skirt, photographed at Bauman Studio in 1956; the classic little black dress she wore to a famous star's cocktail party while charming the media, or her gypsy outfit that became a rage among hipsters. Once you select the look that catches your fancy, shift to the "Items" section and find modern interpretations of the same outfit. For instance, if you want to imitate Monroe's casual look with cat-eye sunglasses, as spotted in photographs taken by celebrity photographer Milton H Greene, Stylitics provides trendy options such as button down shirts by Jonathan Simkhai. Or, opt for Monroe's chic jumpsuit spotted on her as she unwinds on a holiday; Stylitics suggests a similar Paul & Joe jumpsuit and dark blue kitten heels. Stylitics also offers users tips on how to create Monroe's sultry red cocktail dress look: invest in a flowy Carolina Herrera number, almost identical to Monroe's choice. If you like the look, the site redirects you to payment options.
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It isn't the first time that an online shopping portal has opened up a celebrity's closet to the growing section of online shoppers. Pernia'sPopUpShop, for instance, collaborated with Sonam Kapoor over Christmas last year - Kapoor offered trendy items from her coveted wardrobe which were then sold on the website for charity. Given Kapoor's clout among fashion mongers, the initiative got a great response.
Pernia Qureshi, the founder of the portal, couldn't be happier about the attempt to curate Monroe's looks. "I love Marilyn's style...her feminine and chic fashion sense was leaps and bounds ahead of her time," she says. While it's hard to pick a favourite, Qureshi "loves" the William Travilla dress.
So what does such a venture mean for the style icon's estate? "With social media playing a major role today, it's great to maintain a journal of sorts to showcase your style and be advised by your friends for the same."
Next up, perhaps we would would like to walk through Sophia Loren's wardrobe?