Sydney Sweeney Channels Marilyn Monroe in Vintage Ceil Chapman at Santa Barbara Film Festival
By Alexus Mosley
Photo Credit/Getty Images
Sydney Sweeney is once again channeling her inner Marilyn Monroe, and this time, she did so in a 73-year-old gown by legendary designer Ceil Chapman.
At the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where she was honored with the Virtuosos Award, Sweeney arrived in a literal piece of Hollywood history. The off-the-shoulder, ruched silhouette was a direct nod to Marilyn Monroe’s first-ever LIFE magazine cover from 1952, a moment that remains one of the most famous and collectible covers in the publication’s history.
The original image, captured by photographer Philippe Halsman, cemented Monroe’s bombshell status and helped define the soft-glam, curve-hugging aesthetic that Ceil Chapman became known for. The designer dressed a who’s who of Golden Age Hollywood, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Jayne Mansfield, Deborah Kerr, and Eva Gabor.
Marilyn Monroe in 1952
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic;Philippe Halsman/Life Magazine
Marilyn Monroe in 1952
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic;Philippe Halsman/Life Magazine
This isn’t Sweeney’s first Marilyn-coded moment either. She recently leaned into Monroe’s iconic glamour at The Housemaid L.A. premiere late last year, proving that when it comes to old-Hollywood allure, she’s not just inspired but committed.