In the spring of 1962, Marilyn Monroe decided that her appearance at John F. Kennedy’s birthday gala had to be unforgettable.

To do so, she commissioned a dress that would defy all fashion and political codes from French designer Jean Louis.

Marilyn asked for a dress that looked like “skin and sparkles,” a second skin that shimmered and created the illusion of nudity.

The result was a flesh-colored silk chiffon piece, so fine and form-fitting that it had to be sewn onto her body before she stepped on stage.

The dress was adorned with more than 2,500 hand-sewn crystals that caught the light like diamonds floating on her skin.

On May 19, 1962, the audience at Madison Square Garden fell into complete silence at the sight of Marilyn in that impossible dress.

After the performance, the dress was stored and remained in private hands, becoming a pop culture relic.

In 1999, it was auctioned at Christie’s New York for $1.26 million, making it the most expensive dress ever sold.

Years later, it was acquired by the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! collection, which preserved it in controlled conditions due to its historical value.

In 2016, it was auctioned again and sold for $4.8 million, breaking its own record as the most expensive garment in the world.

In 2022, the dress returned to the center of public debate when Kim Kardashian briefly wore it at the Met Gala.

Textile conservation experts criticized the decision. Wearing the dress could have compromised its structural integrity.

Today, it remains a 20th-century fashion icon. A work of art that brings together the power of image, desire, and politics in a single garment.