A unique print showing nine pictures of a topless Marilyn Monroe is set to go under the hammer. The photos from her final ever shoot, just six weeks before she died, shows the star playing with a see-through scarf and pouts and poses like the model professional that she was. Photographer Ber t Stern's three-day session with the famous blonde was a return to form for the glamour queen after a few difficult years.
She clearly had some artistic control because after the shoot she crossed out one of the photos on the "contact sheet" because she didn't like it.
Stern published the photographs - titled 'The Last Sitting' - nearly 20 years after her death.
He later blew these images up for an exhibition because they beautifully summed up the movie star.
Monroe died aged 36 in 1962 and the photos from this session have helped define the image of her retained in the public conscience.
They are expected to sell for 15,000 pounds when they are auctioned at the Swann Gallery in New York on March 24.
"The photos were taken over a three day session just six weeks before she died. It was her final ever shoot," the Daily Mail quoted Daile Kaplan, from the auction house, as saying.
"Stern took 2,500 photos in all and these are especially nice because she is playing with a scarf.
"It was nearly two decades after her death that he published them and this contact sheet was blown up for an exhibition.
"It is unique and includes a red cross over one of the pictures that Marilyn did herself because she didn't like it - it is not as erotic as the rest.
"The photos discreetly reveal her nudity and showed how Stern engaged her as an actress, model and woman.
"Marilyn had had problems prior to this, she'd gone through two divorces and apparently was hospitalised the year before.
"This was a return to form and she looks healthy and the nudity is subtle - it is pre-sexual revolution.
"There is a delicacy about the images and Marilyn Monroe is often referred to as vulnerable.
"The scarf is similar because it is beautiful but also has a vulnerable quality. And the cross she put on one of the photos has a quasi-religious quality.
"She remains a cult figure and young collectors always come back to Marilyn Monroe," Kaplan added.
Actress Marilyn Monroe has been voted the greatest blonde of all time by OnePoll.com, an online market research company.
The legend has beaten a host of modern beauties, including Cameron Diaz, Madonna and Scarlett Johansson.
"Marilyn Monroe has always been known for her iconic blonde hair," contactmusic.com quoted a spokesperson from the company as saying.
"But it's amazing to think that even now, almost half a century after her death, she has still beaten modern blondes to the top spot.
"Her hair is synonymous with 1950s glamour but it has stood the test of time against hair styles and colours which have come and gone over the years," he added.
Monroe became an icon after her tragic death in 1962 and had relationships with a string of famous men during her life, including playwright Arthur Miller and she allegedly dated US President John F. Kennedy.The top 20 Greatest Blondes of all time are:
1. Marilyn Monroe
2. Grace Kelly
3. Brigitte Bardot
4. Cameron Diaz
5. Holly Willoughby
6. Joanna Lumley
7. Scarlett Johansson
8. Stevie Nicks
9. Olivia Newton-John
10. Debbie Harry
11. Madonna
12. Doris Day
13. Goldie Hawn
14. Gwen Stefani
15. Denise Van Outen
16. Barbara Windsor
17. Honor Blackman
18. Tess Daly
19. Charlize Theron
20. Paris HiltonTags:
marilyn Monroe, Grace KellyBrigitte Bardot, Cameron Diaz, Holly Willoughby, Joanna Lumley, Scarlett Johansson, Stevie Nicks, Olivia Newton-John, Debbie Harry, Madonna, Doris Day, Goldie Hawn, Gwen Stefani, Denise Van Outen, Barbara Windsor, Honor Blackman, Tess Daly, Charlize Theron, Paris Hilton
Actress Lindsay Lohan's debut legwear line, 6126 leggings, is selling like hot cakes despite a very hefty price tag. Retailers have said that the Mean Girls star's 6126 footless tights are a rage all over the world. "They're blowing off the shelves," The New York Daily News quoted Jill Lowe, publicist for high-end Hollywood boutique Intuition, as saying.
Also, Lindsay's Marilyn Monroe-inspired leggings, price ranging between 44 to 132 dollars, are flying out the doors at Henri Bendel, Nordstrom, Intermix and Lisa Kline. With 35 styles in various colours and patterns, Lindsay's got something for everyone, right from leopard prints to zippered black tights.
And Lohan's bestseller is her Mr. President leggings touted as the most expensive and unique-looking option, the black tights with grey knee patches, costing 132 dollars, are a big hit from coast to coast. In fact, many of items from Lohan's line start from 75 dollars a pair while several costing more than 100 dollars. On the other hand, popular legwear brands Danskin and Hue are selling cotton/spandex leggings for a mere 25 dollars.
"The leggings are made of top quality materials. Many have accents like 100 percent leather patches and 100 cashmere leggings which also contribute to the price range," said 6126 publicist Ali Brubaker. In fact, several are dry clean only, making 6126 tights some of the most high-maintenance on the market.
Now, the actress and her team are thinking about developing four collections a year - spring, summer, fall and holiday and want to expand more. "We are building a lifestyle brand that represents timeless glamour. Our hope is to organically [roll] out additional product categories over the next several years," said Brubaker.