The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 86

P4 CELEBRITY Marilyn Monroe certainly achieved fame in the course of her 36-year lifetime, butin the five decades since her death, become such acelebrity-branding superstar, it often feels as if proto-platinum pinup never really left the building at all. She is routinely referenced in store windows and on runways; her image graces such products as glossy magazine covers andwine bottles; and her persona regularly flickers to new life on TV and movie screens. The Monroe legacy is larger than her 33 movies, short-lived, high-profile marriages and messy personal life. Her profound transformation from a nobody named Norma Jeane Mortenson into a world-famous ac- tressand blond bombshell resonates as a quintessential American success story and an almost impossibly perfect Cinderella story. Once her metamorphosis was complete, her signature look the alabaster skin, ruby red lips, platinum tresses and curvaceous body sheathed in form-fitting clothes became a standard for feminine pulchritude.

Hippie chicks and their flower power came and went, and the sunken cheeks of heroin chic had their moment, but a half-century later recipe for reinvention since followed by the likes of Madonna, Anna Nicole Smith, Christina Aguilera, Lindsay Lohan, Lady Gaga and others that perseveres. That resonance is one reason why the stiletto-clad footfalls of Marilyn Monroe seem to be growing ever louder. One can hardly swing awhite mink wrap without hitting a Marilyn- branded product or project, such asa CGI appearance in a Dior fragrance ad with Charlize Theronor her Twitterfeed, which has more than lowers. And more: Ifall goes according to plan, Marilyn fans will be able to end 2012 being able to wrap their bodies in Marilyn Monroe bathing suits, accessorize with Marilyn Monroe jewelry, paint their faces with Marilyn Monroe makeup, get their nails done at a Marilyn Monroe salon, slip into a pair of Marilyn Monroe stilettos and sip skinny lattes at a Marilyn Monroe There are other factors feeding the current Marilyn frenzy, of course, including the 50th anniversary of her death, by barbiturate overdose, on Aug. 5, 1962, and the current trend toward anything that smacks of retro- nostalgia (i.e.

the effect). But the fascination has been on the upswing longer than that, says Lois Banner, an author and USC history professor whose second book about the late actress, Monroe: The Passion and the was published earlier this month. started to be articles about the ongoing fascination with Marilyn Monroe as far back as the says Banner, Norman Mailer published his biography.But really increased in the last 12 Banner says the plethora of Monroe biographical material and photographic images have made every aspect of her life including achildhood of shuttling between foster homes, sexual abuse and stuttering well known to the American public. is one of the greatest stories of the American dream ever Banner said. all in there how she made herself from nothing into something, and then how she made herself into all these different Marilyns.

She could be made into whatever anyone wanted her to name ranks third on Forbes annual tally of dead for the 12 months ending October 2011, with an estimated $27 million in gross income behind only Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. Before that, she been on annual list since 2008. In addition to licensing fees the amount companies pay for the right to use name or likeness for a commercial or product most recentForbes estimate includes the 2010purchase price of a majority interest of the estate bya New York City branding and licensing company called Authentic Brands Group and its partner NECA (National Entertainment Collectibles Assn.) from Anna Strasberg(the widow of acting teacher Lee Strasberg, who inherited the bulk of her estate). Although the purchase price by the private company was not disclosed, it was reported to be somewhere north of $20 million. chief marketing officer Nick confirm how much the partnership paid or offer any guidance on the reported annual earnings, saying only that the Marilyn Monroe brand is very, very good business for Since taking control of La Monroe, Woodhouse said the first order of business was to cut back on the number of Marilyn-related licenses and focus on brokering deals that move the MM brand upmarket.

He points to the aforementioned Dior TV ad and the poster for this Cannes Film Festival (which featured Marilyn Monroe) as examples. But a big part of the overall brand strategy, Woodhouse says, is expanding in the apparel and beauty categories. larger ready-to-wear collection is the for he said. already have a strong intimates business with Dreamwear, which is also our partner for swimwear, which be launching in November. But apparel is something actively pursuing with a number of Woodhouse hintedthat aMarilyn Monroe label could possibly be a retail reality by spring 2013.

When asked about why Monroe continues to be a popular fashion icon, Woodhouse echoes comments. she was rolling around on the beach in Malibu wearing a pair of and a white Chino shirt, on stage in a very expensive ball gown singing to the president or wearing asimple white dress, she managed to be all things to all Woodhouse also noted that the Marilyn Monroe of 1962 will always remain, well, the Marilyn Monroe circa 1962. at icons like Michael Jackson or Elizabeth he said. memories of therm are a little bit different than maybe what have liked their legacy to be. And with Marilyn like encased in There are other projects in the works that leverage the Monroe name beauty and cosmetics deals such as a 30-piece limited-edition Marilyn-inspired beauty collection with MAC Cosmetics, due in October, and an ambitious long-term deal that could result in several hundred Marilyn Monroe-themed nail salons and day spas popping upacross the country over the next five or six years.

Niki Bryan, chief executive of Orlando, Marilyn Monroe Spas, which is aiming to open its first nail salon in that city before the end of the year, also points to ability to transform herself as key. But she thinks the process as opposed to the end product that has real resonance in the beauty arena. transformation took hard work and determination on her part and it was very Bryan said. studied it, she learned it, and she made the effort, and it eventually became a seamless part of her Other projects currently in the works include a reality TV series titled (which will focus on a dozen women who will compete for a chance to make it big in Hollywood), a line of jewelry inspired by the pieces she wore during her lifetime, the aforementioned spas and even a franchised chain of Marilyn Monroe-themed cafes. Recent efforts to burnish the Marilyn brand make it seem likely that she be a stranger to the Forbes ranking in future years given what the folks at Authentic Brands Group have learned from mining social media data, which includesome 3.3 million Facebook fans.

all the people clicked the button at Marilyn Facebook page, the top two age groups are the 13-to-17- year-old age group and the 18-to-24 Woodhouse said. really resonates with Which means Marilyn Monroe may very well remain pop reigning beauty queen into the next half-century. adam.tschorn@latimes.com Sam Javanrouh Marilyn Monroe Spas PROJECTS in the works include a Marilyn Monroe left, set to open in Canada in the fall, and a line of Marilyn Monroe day spas, both shown in renderings. ETERNAL BEAUTY Marilyn Monroe lives on as a profitable brand in clothing, makeup and more BaronGetty Images MARILYN MONROE redefined sex appeal in the 1950s and still reigns as a fashion and style influence. By Adam Tschorn is one of the greatest stories of the American dream ever made herself from nothing into OIS ANNER author and USC history professor CMYK.