On the night of May 19, 1962, Peter Lawford, hosting a Democratic Party fundraiser for JFK at New York’s Madison Square Garden, ceded the podium for one of the most famous performances of the 20th century. Having snuck away from the set of her latest film, Marilyn Monroe strode into the spotlight and launched into a breathy, suggestive rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”
The singing may have been average, but Monroe wasn’t. When she slipped out of her fur coat, she stood wearing a flesh-colored, skintight Jean Louis dress—it had literally been sewn onto her—and sparkled in the spotlight: The dress had been stitched with 2,500 Swarovski crystals.
In 1892, when Daniel Swarovski patented a machine that cut lead crystal into brilliant stones (above), the worlds of fashion and show business came running—and they still are. Past and present appearances of Swarovski stones include Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers in the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, Marilyn Monroe in her crystal-studded gown after singing “Happy Birthday” to JFK in 1962 and Michael Jackson performing with his famous white glove covered in Swarovski Lochrosen crystals.Jackson: Getty Images; Oz: Alamy Stock Photo; Swarovski: Courtesy of Swarovski
It’s rare that a brand name is so synonymous with its product, but Swarovski happens to be one of those cases. There’s a catch, though: while everyone knows the Austrian family firm makes sparkly crystals, they probably don’t know just how ubiquitous those little gems have become. Swarovski stones have shown up everywhere from the jeweled curtain at the Oscars to stage costumes for Elvis, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Through its many divisions, Swarovski sinks its crystals into watches, hangs them from chandeliers and assembles them into home décor items and gifts. But nowhere are the stones more visible than in the fashion realm, whether as part of the company’s own jewelry line or on clothing created by some 150 high-end designers.
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