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    1. Beauty

    When Marie Claire Met Marilyn Monroe... Something Iconic Happened

    It's the interview that captured Marilyn Monroe at her most candid. And now Georges Belmont's famous meeting has landed the screen icon a brand new Chanel campaign

    By Rebecca Martin
    Published 17 October 2013 In News

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    Marilyn Monroe
    Marilyn Monroe
    (Image credit: Rex Features)
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    It's the interview that captured Marilyn Monroe at her most candid. And now Georges Belmont's famous meeting has landed the screen icon a brand new Chanel campaign

    Marilyn Monroe has been announced by Chanel as the French fashion house's brand new campaign star of their Chanel No.5 fragrance ads – and it's got us thinking about that all-important interview the late screen icon gave to Marie Claire back in 1960.

    The actress' candid revelation about her love for the gorgeously feminine fragrance appeared in an article in 1952 that accompanied her first cover of Life Magazine: 'Marilyn, what do you wear to bed? So I said I only wear Chanel No.5.'

    But it's her interview in 1960 with Marie Claire France's editor-in-chief Georges Belmont, where the actress elaborated on her love for the iconic perfrume, which is fronting a brand new beauty campaign being unveiled on 1 November.

    George was interviewing Marilyn for her new film Let's Make Love by Georges Cukor, when the subject of her favourite fragrance was again addressed.

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    She said: 'You know, they ask me questions. Just an example: "What do you wear to bed? A pyjama top? The bottoms of the pyjamas? A nightgown?" So I said, "Chanel No.5", because it’s the truth... And yet, I don’t want to say "nude". But it’s the truth !'

    Marilyn Monroe

    Marilyn Monroe
    (Image credit: Rex Features)

    The interview also touches on Marilyn's infamous decision to pose nude to pay off her debts in 1949.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

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    Chanel has today released a stunning shot of the late star taken by Ed Feingersh from the archives which shows Marilyn clutching a bottle of Chanel No.5 and applying it to her chest. A full video campaign will be unveiled on Chanel's Facebook page within weeks.

    Marilyn is taking the reigns of the campaign over from Brad Pitt, over fifty years after her death. How incredible?!

    Listen to Georges' interview with Marilyn below...

    What to read next
    • Marie Claire Fragrance Awards 2026 The Marie Claire Fragrance Awards Winners 2026 Are Here
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    Chanel No.5 – the truth behind the iconic fragrance

    Will we EVER get bored of this iconic movie moment?

    12 things you didn't know about Marilyn Monroe

    Got a tablet? You can now download Marie Claire magazine straight to your iPad, Kindle (just search the store for 'marie claire magazine'), Nook or Google Nexus.

    Rebecca Martin
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