I was probably about seven years old when I was first introduced to the legacy that is Marilyn Monroe, by my mother.
She was a big fan of the iconic blonde and would let me read her collection of wistful biographies and cuddle up with me on Sunday afternoons to watch Monroe's films such as 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', 'Seven Year Itch' and my all-time favourite 'Some Like it Hot'.
I was fascinated, even at an early age, by her husky tones dripping like honey from her big red lips, her lazy, come-to-bed eyes and her extraordinary hour-glass curves that she accentuated with her famous shimmy-shimmy sashay (which I later found out was supposedly down to her cutting off a small piece of one of her stiletto-heels so that her hip movements were more exaggerated when she strutted. I tried to copy this with one of my first pair of 'Ravel' heels when I was about thirteen, but ended up with a frayed mess of a clompy heel and a limp that was not far off from a Sea Captain with a peg-leg.)
Me and my gay best friend Ben at age eight or nine, both had vintage Marilyn barbies amongst our vast collection of dolls that cost a small bomb (Mine was circa. Gentlemen prefer Blondes, his was from Seven Year Itch, complete with a miniature version of that infamous white dress) We even bunked off school one day, just to go to a pop-up Marilyn Monroe Museum Exhibition somewhere around Embankment.
I know it's been said before, and I am not the first Marilyn fan but I really do love that gorgeous blonde bitch.
Anyway, if your in Paris next week and not only a fan of the legend herself but also love photography, you should check out Richard Avedon's exhibition, featuring 60 of his original photographic portraits of various icons such as Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton and including Miss Monroe, on and from the 20th November.
Voila la details! : Christie's Paris, 9, avenue Matignon, 75008 Paris, tél. : 01 40 76 85 85.
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