New Montblanc Muses Edition writing instrument celebrates the life of one of the greatest style and cultural icons of the 20th century
Adulated stars, cultural icons and flawless beauties, the supreme elegance and irresistible aura of the 20th century’s most legendary muses are captured in the writing instruments of the Montblanc Muses Edition.
As the ultimate symbol of glamor and femininity, Marilyn Monroe is the latest muse to join the edition. A talented actress with incomparable charisma, she appeared in more than 30 films during her lifetime and enchanted audiences with her distinctive music recordings. Above all, Monroe is widely recognized as the incarnation of sensual beauty, embodying a timelessly elegant, but provocative style that is still admired and emulated today.
The new Montblanc Muses Marilyn Monroe Special Edition includes a fountain pen, ballpoint and rollerball, taking inspiration from the glamorous life of a vulnerable and shy woman who lived her life in the limelight.
Born Norma Jeanne Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926, Marilyn Monroe grew up in humble circumstances, overcoming personal obstacles to achieve a life of international stardom. Driven by her untamed desire for success, fame and popularity, she made the leap in just a few years from unknown model to unforgettable screen icon. While she found fame in 1953 with her starring roles in Niagara, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How To Marry a Millionaire, she will forever be remembered for one of cinema’s most enduring images – the scene from The Seven Year Itch where she stands on the subway grate trying to tame her billowing white dress.
Every design detail of the Montblanc Muses Marilyn Monroe Special Edition evokes the film goddess’s signature style. The shape of the writing instrument is inspired by the 4-inch heels Marilyn Monroe favoured, and that became characteristic of her personal style. The color of the precious cap and barrel of the writing instrument is reminiscent of her red lipstick, created especially for the movie star. The rich red of the resin is paired with fittings coated in champagne gold to create a glamorous look in honor of a woman who never failed to steal the show with her electrifying presence. The slanted cap top is decorated with the Montblanc emblem in champagne tone gold-coated.
Among the few fashion accessories she wore was a single row of Akoya pearls given to her by her husband Joe DiMaggio whom she was married to for just 274 days. A single pearl adorns the pen’s clip as a reference to the passionate yet brief all-American romance between the Hollywood goddess and the handsome baseball legend, one of the great love stories of the era.
Beyond her screen appearances, Marilyn’s voice had a distinctive quality that made songs like “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” unforgettable, and her rare live performances in front of adoring crowds all the more enthralling. In reference to the famous film song, the cone of the Special Edition writing instrument is engraved with diamond shapes alongside the signature of the style icon. The Au585 champagne tone gold-coated nib of the fountain pen features an engraved portrait of the legendary actress. The traditionally rounded heart hole of the nib is shaped as an actual “ heart” – a very first in the Muses collection – to highlight the symbolic of Monroe’s incomparable femininity.
While she was known during her life as a perfectly styled star, her well-cultivated persona was only one side of a complex story. She was a well-read woman with an extensive book collection that included works of literature, poetry and psychology. Often misunderstood, she was not just an effervescent pin-up, but was devoted to the arts and pursued nothing less than complete mastery of her craft. Her desire to make a serious artistic contribution motivated her move to New York in 1954 to found her own production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions. Through the craftsmanship of the Muses Marilyn Monroe Special Edition, Montblanc pays a fitting tribute to a woman who wrote her own page of modern history, and continues to inspire women with her legendary ability to overcome the toughest challenges to achieve greatness.
