Marilyn Monroe’s timeless allure continues to captivate, as a pair of her 1950s jeans is set to be auctioned. This is not the first sale of Monroe’s items, as several pieces from her wardrobe have been sold previously. Even though her famous white dress from The Seven Year Itch that was designed by William Travilla remains deeply etched in people’s memory, there are other things she has owned that have been similarly significant.
The auction features a pair of jeans that Monroe herself wore, and it is available for purchase through Julien’s Auctions’ Bold Luxury: The Limelight Edit, which will take place on March 27 at The Peninsula Beverly Hills and online.
The 1950s Marilyn Monroe jeans were once owned by Tommy Hilfiger
Monroe’s zip-fly jeans were initially owned by J.C. Penney, were worn in River of No Return. They have distressing on the front leg with an inside label “1-68-1-0435 Helen Thurston A-713,” which was Monroe’s body double. These jeans were originally purchased by fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger for $37,000 at Christie’s New York sale, The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe.
Now, this rare piece of clothing is about to have a new owner once more, with Julien’s Auctions estimating a sale price of between $30,000 and $50,000. Hilfiger, himself being a legend, has an enormous collection of celebrity memorabilia, including the ones belonging to Marilyn Monroe, some of which he has donated to pop star Britney Spears and supermodel Naomi Campbell.
Marilyn Monroe’s dress once sold for $4.8 million
These pair of jeans are not the first expensive Monroe piece to be auctioned. Before this, the legendary crystal-encrusted dress she wore to President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in 1962, fetched a staggering $4.8 million.
The gown was created by Jean Louis, and was said to have been so tight that it had to be sewn onto her. Many decades later, Kim Kardashian made the headlines when she wore the dress to the Met Gala, this has brought up discussions on how such iconic dresses should be preserved.