On May 19, 1962, at Madison Square Garden, Marilyn Monroe took the stage to congratulate US President John F. Kennedy on his birthday. When the actress threw off her snow-white ermine cape, the audience of thousands gasped: she was wearing a translucent flesh-colored dress, studded with thousands of shimmering rhinestones. This dress by French fashion designer Jean Louis forever went down in history as the first and unsurpassed “naked” dress (Nude Dress). In this material we reveal the constructive secrets of its creation.
Contents of the article
- 1. Idea and fabric: weightless silk voile in skin tone
- 2. Nude fitting and hand stitching on the actress
- 3. 2500 Rhinestone Rhinestones: Strategic Inlay
- 4. The influence of the masterpiece on evening fashion and catwalk trends of the 21st century
- Designer's advice: how to achieve the perfect fit of a sheath dress without darts
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Soufflé-marquisette fabric
Jean Louis ordered a unique, extremely thin silk gauze (marquisette soufflé) from France, the color of which was selected in the laboratory strictly to match Marilyn Monroe's skin tone, which created an absolute optical illusion of nudity.
2. Stitching directly on the figure
The dress had no zipper and no underwear. To achieve the perfect fit of every curve without a single crease, the designer sewed the back seam of the dress by hand with hidden stitches directly on the naked actress just before going on stage.
3. Strategic inlay
2500 faceted rock crystals were sewn on by hand. The density of the rhinestones was precisely calculated: a denser scattering in the intimate areas and a sparse shimmer along the hips and train.
4. The legacy of the naked dress
Jean Louis's masterpiece laid the foundation for the Naked Dress couture aesthetic, which today inspires designers Mugler, Saint Laurent and Schiaparelli.
Couturier advice
For a perfect bias fit, use silk crepe de Chine or bi-elastic mesh with a stretch factor of 1.15. And you can download proven patterns for evening dresses in the catalog ready-made patterns.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How much was Marilyn Monroe's dress sold for at auction?
In 2016, the dress was sold for a record $4.8 million at Julien's Auctions.
Which of the modern stars wore the original dress?
In 2022, Kim Kardashian wore an original Marilyn Monroe dress to the Met Gala in New York.
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