Monroe (Marilyn) Rare black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe in a  costume designed by William Travilla for 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', signed and inscribed "To Tommy, love and kisses Marilyn Monroe", very light handling wear to margins, 10 x 8".  ***In 1953 Travilla designed the costumes for "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Originally, Monroe was to wear the breathtaking show girl costume shown in the photograph, which costed almost $4,000. It had jewels sewn onto a black fish-net bodystocking up to the breasts, then covered in nude fabric, embellished with a mass of diamonds. When it came out that Marilyn has posed nude for a calendar back in 1949, Travilla was given strict instructions to cover Marilyn up and designed the famous pink dress worn in the famous sequence in which the actress sings the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".