An Irish man helped sell that iconic Marilyn Monroe dress for an eye-watering sum

A Roscommon man was involved in the sale of the dress, most recently worn by Kim Kardashian, for a record-breaking sum

Marilyn Monroe at President John F. Kennedy's birthday party in May 1962 singing Happy Birthday Mr President.

After this week’s Met Gala, many headlines were devoted to Kim Kardashian and her decision to don a dress made famous by Marilyn Monroe, who wore it while serenading John F Kennedy for his birthday at Madison Square Garden in 1963 less than three months before her death.

The glamourous gúna was designed by Jean Louis and based on a sketch by Bob Mackie and is, literally, a multimillion dollar-gown.

In 2016, Julien’s Auctions entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the sale of the world’s most expensive dress ever sold at auction: Marilyn Monroe’s sheer “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress, which sold for $4.8 million (€4.6m).

Overseeing the dress’s sale was the company’s executive director and chief financial officer, who was born in Athlone, Co Roscommon.

Martin Nolan manages Julien’s Auctions worldwide and he oversaw the three-day auction event of MARILYN, featuring property of famed acting coach Lee Strasberg and Lord David Gainsborough-Roberts, and, of course, that famous dress worn on Monday night by Kim Kardashian.

Kim Kardashian attends the Met Gala in New York.

Speaking to the Irish Times in 2016, ahead of the record-breaking auction, Nolan said he hoped the sheer, flesh-coloured dress which is embellished with over 2,500 crystals would end up in a museum.

“At 54 years, it is still in such good condition and as fashionable today as it was then,” he said.

“About 10,000 people came to see it in 1999 and it has been in private hands until now [2016]. Though there is interest from private collectors all over the world, I would hope that it goes to a museum, where it can continue to be on public view.” 

The gown was lent to Kardashian by Ripley's Believe It or Not!, where the 60-year-old dress has been stored in a temperature-controlled environment since it was bought in 2016.

Nolan works closely with Julien’s Auctions’ exhibition partner, the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge, the only place in Europe where the famous dress could be viewed before it went under the hammer in LA six years ago.

Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Happy Birthday Mr. President’ dress at Newbridge Silverware’s Museum of Style Iconsin 2016. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

Collaborating with famous and exclusive clients, Julien’s Auctions produces high profile auctions in the film, music, sports and art markets, including items owned by John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Banksy, Cher, U2, Barbra Streisand, Les Paul, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Jimi Hendrix. 

In 2009, they sold Michael Jackson’s white glove for $480,000 (€456k), making it the most expensive glove ever sold at auction.