As Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday approaches on June 1, her legacy offers a moment to reflect on her beauty, identity and fame. Here’s to celebrating Marilyn Monroe
Decades after her untimely death at 36, Marilyn’s charm, wit and star power still lit up screens and hearts around the globe. She achieved stardom while shaping one of the most recognisable beauty identities of the 20th century.
She had a deliberate approach to beauty. Known for applying a layer of Vaseline to her face before foundation to create a glowing base, alongside a skincare routine prescribed by dermatologist Erno Laszlo. Her love of Chanel No.5 became central to her image, while her sleep routine highlighted an understanding of beauty as restorative. Self-described as having a languorous disposition, she embraced a relaxing, slow morning in bed, taking two hours to get up some days.
Beyond her beauty regimes, Marilyn Monroe established a career as an actress. She was nominated for two British Academy Awards and won Best Actress in a Comedy at the 1959 Golden Globe Awards for her work in Some Like It Hot, demonstrating a range that extended beyond her modelling career.
Venues across Los Angeles continue to offer insight into Marilyn Monroe’s life, with exhibitions and memorabilia that honour her legacy as a Hollywood pioneer:
The Academy Museum’s ‘Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon’
‘Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon’ is an exhibition that celebrates Marilyn Monroe as a visionary actor and image-maker, examining the many facets of how she created and shaped her public image in the context of the classical Hollywood studio system. The exhibition will display hundreds of original objects, including posters, portraits, photographs, production documents, letters, and personal materials, giving insight into her agency in becoming a Hollywood icon.
‘Marilyn: The Immersive Experience’
‘Marilyn: The Immersive Experience’ is an interactive, cinematic journey through the life of Marilyn, built by fans, for fans. This features rare film footage, personal stories and multisensory rooms inspired by her iconic moments.
The Hollywood Roosevelt
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel was Marilyn Monroe’s home for two years, just as her modelling career began to take off. Monroe stayed in one of the vintage 1950s cabanas at the time of her first professional magazine shoot, which took place at the Roosevelt’s Tropicana Pool. The 750 square-foot Marilyn Monroe Suite features a loft-like open floor plan, a kitchenette and a balcony that overlooks the pool.
The Hollywood Museum
Dedicated to the history and heritage of Hollywood and the entertainment industry, the museum includes Max Factor’s make-up rooms, where Marilyn Monroe became a blonde and Lucille Ball became a redhead. The museum’s Marilyn Monroe collection includes personal items, wardrobe pieces and her limousine. Marilyn Monroe’s million-dollar honeymoon dress is one of the most memorable items on display at the Hollywood Museum. Monroe wore it on her honeymoon when she married Joe DiMaggio, as well as when she entertained troops in Korea in 1954.
The TCL Chinese Theatre
Marilyn Monroe had an acclaimed career in film and popular culture, acting in blockbuster hits such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), co-starring Jane Russell. Thanks to the film’s success, Monroe and Russell were invited to put their signatures, hand and shoe prints into cement at the famed Forecourt of the Stars at the TCL Chinese Theatre, then known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
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