Often imitated but never duplicated, even after all these years, Monroe had a way of turning even a simple Pucci print into something sexy.
Over her professional career, she was dressed by some of Hollywood’s top designers, including William Travilla, who made her his muse and was, according to Mr. Nickens and Mr. Zeno, briefly her lover.
“They had a terrific relationship, he really understood her,” Mr. Nickens said in a recent phone interview. “He appreciated her input, and, you know, her big thing in life was being taken seriously and being respected.
“He did that for her, he understood what she had that made her so special.”
Mr. Travilla, whose credits included “The Seven Year Itch,” “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Monkey Business,” created two of the most iconic dresses in film history — both worn, of course, by Monroe.
For a “Seven Year Itch” scene in which Monroe cools off on a hot summer night, Mr. Travilla designed a draped, halter-neck dress of white pleated rayon acetate that would billow like a parachute when the actress stood over a subway grate on New York City’s Lexington Avenue.
The scene was shot on Sept. 15, 1954.
“That subway dress is a deceptively simple masterpiece,” Mr. Nickens said.
It also inspired countless versions of the modern-day sundress, because who wouldn’t want to look like Monroe?