Marilyn Monroe's centennial year has one more tribute to add to the list. Mattel released a new Barbie Signature doll Tuesday inspired by one of the most recognizable scenes in Hollywood history: Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in the 1953 musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
The $81 collectible recreates the look in detail, from the strapless hot-pink satin gown and oversized bow to the elbow-length opera gloves and layers of sparkling jewelry Monroe wore while performing the number, which the American Film Institute has ranked among the 12th best film songs of the 20th century. It went on sale August 18 at major US retailers, a little more than two months after what would have been Monroe's 100th birthday on June 1.
Built With The Estate's Involvement
Mattel doll designers Robert Best and Linda Kyaw worked directly with the Estate of Marilyn Monroe LLC throughout the design process to capture both her likeness and the fine details of the on-screen costume. Best said the goal went beyond celebrating Monroe's fashion and film legacy, framing the doll as a nod to her often-overlooked business instincts, since she became one of the first women in Hollywood to found her own production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions, back in 1955.
This marks the seventh Barbie doll modeled on Monroe since Mattel's first attempt in 1997, when the company released a similar pink satin gown look as part of its Hollywood Legends Collection. Other past releases have recreated her billowing white dress from The Seven Year Itch, a red sequined gown from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and the one-shouldered evening look from How to Marry a Millionaire.
A Year Of Centennial Tributes
The doll caps a year of celebrations marking Monroe's 100th birthday, including an ongoing exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles running through February 2027, and a gathering in Palm Springs earlier this year where more than a thousand fans dressed in her iconic white halter dress from The Seven Year Itch, setting a new Guinness World Record while raising money for LGBTQ+ charities.
It's also the second celebrity-inspired Barbie Mattel has released this month alone, following a Whitney Houston doll modeled on her "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" music video look that launched August 8. The pace reflects how central the Barbie Signature line, which has previously honored figures from Shania Twain to Queen Elizabeth II, has become to how Mattel marks major cultural anniversaries.