Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the licensing company and owner of Marilyn’s estate, has partnered with DITA Eyewear for a limited edition range marking her upcoming centenary in 2026, Flaunt reports.
“As said best by Marilyn, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. This iconic phrase is fully represented in the MM.100 model’s wirecore, handcrafted with lush Japanese acetate, which is intended to mirror the look of the gems. Marilyn’s timelessness is captured by DITA’s easily recognisable, glamorous cat-eyes, encapsulating the spirit of her beauty in the frame … The MM.100 frame has been adapted into a multitude of colourways, varying from neutral tones to a striking marble of red and pink.”
The sunglasses cost £505 each, with four different frame/lens options: black/grey; dreamy red swirl/burgundy; khaki crystal/wolf grey; and satin apricot/gemstone.
Elsewhere, Variety reports on Marilyn’s latest branding ventures, and ABG’s plans for the year ahead. Images by Sam Shaw, Milton Greene and Bruno Bernard are featured in publicity materials.
“The year-long festivities leading up to her 100th birthday begin with the debut of Pantone’s Marilyn Monroe Collection Palette, an assortment of shades designed to capture different aspects of her identity, with names such as Star White and High Risk Red.
Authentic Brands Group, which acquired a controlling stake in Monroe’s name and likeness rights in 2011, will be rolling out a variety of products utilising the palette with brands, adding to preexisting partners that include luxury goods label Tiffany & Co., Piper Heidsieck champagne, watchmaker Blancpain and jewellery designer Lele Sadoughi.
Variety spoke to Dana Carpenter, EVP of Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, about the genesis of Pantone’s Marilyn Monroe Collection Palette and how it ties into their overall plans for her 100th birthday celebration.
For some, a colour palette might seem like an unlikely entry point for a centennial campaign. How is it being utilised in various brand partnerships?
It actually lends itself naturally to a lot of categories. We see this translating to things like apparel and fashion accessories, whether that’s doing limited runs in the colour palette or using that colour and infusing it into designs and prints and patterns for for things like dresses, footwear, etc. It can also translate into things like packaging.How was the colour palette developed?
Obviously, it’s really easy to say, oh, she’s very famous for her red lips, but there were other elements that we thought were interesting and symbolic, whether that was looking at a really beautiful glittering gold to more core colours like black and white, which are very significant, whether you look at infusing from her beauty mark or her platinum blonde hair, which she referred to as pillowcase white.Tell us the stories behind some of the shades.
Sure. High Risk Red is a really deep red. We felt it evoked a very strong sense of power as part of Marilyn’s history and legacy as an actress, an activist and a female founder. We also looked at two shades of pink. We have a Hot Pink, which is a little bit more playful and also signifies the lightheartedness of Marilyn, and Dynasty Pink, which is a metallic we think is really feminine, strong and beautiful, that has a lot of versatility to apply in a variety of different partnerships and product categories.Are there any shades that harken back to her pre-Marilyn years as Norma Jeane?
I think that Peach Bud probably accomplishes that because it really speaks to her luminous complexion. When you look at early photos of her, that glow and smile that she had and her complexion really shines through.”
The Marilyn Report 