![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.moviepropcollectors.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/DebbieMMDress.jpg\" "\\"DebbieMMDress\\"")
<\/a>I was one of the lucky people attending the Debbie Reynolds Collection Auction held by Profiles in History<\/a><\/em><\/strong> last weekend. While there were hundreds of one of a kind, important parts of Hollywood’s history on display and up for auction, one of the many standouts was the Marilyn Monroe Subway Dress <\/a><\/em><\/strong>worn in the film, The Seven Year Itch<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nRecently, without checking the facts with all <\/em>parties involved, a few blogs published incorrect assumptions about the same Subway<\/em> dress from the Monroe<\/em> film.<\/p>\n In the past I have stated and always will say, people need to get their facts 100% correct before speaking. That includes both written and verbal comments. Not doing so can\u00a0cause harm\u00a0to those being written or spoken about.<\/p>\n After doing the proper research, I can state that the Monroe Subway Dress <\/em>is, and always was, 100% authentic.<\/p>\n Upon reading\u00a0the blogs in question, I contacted Debbie Reynold’s <\/em>son,\u00a0Todd Fisher, <\/em>and he was kind enough to take the time out of his busy weekend to set the record straight concerning the Monroe<\/em> dress. I asked Todd if he heard about the questions raised and he said he had. Todd had no problem explaining to me the facts in the matter.<\/p>\n Mr. Fisher<\/em> explained that Miss Reynolds<\/em>, got this dress and other Marilyn<\/em> dresses directly from 20th Century Fox <\/em>in the 1970’s. He was kind enough to provide a letter from Gordon Stulberg <\/em>who was then\u00a0President of 20th Century Fox <\/em>from 1971-1975.<\/p>\n Mr. Stulberg<\/em> stated that he gave the authorization to Fox<\/em> studio manager, Bernie Baron<\/em>, to sell Debbie<\/em> the Fox<\/em> assets (the Monroe<\/em> costumes, and others), at the time.<\/p>\n Todd Fisher <\/em>also provided a letter from the William Travilla Estate <\/em>which mentions an audio recording of the designer and creator of the subway dress, William Travilla<\/em>, recorded in 1980 (which still exists), in\u00a0which Travilla<\/em> states the following:<\/p>\n \u201cDebbie Reynolds has the original dress from The Seven Year Itch and after all these years it has changed colour slightly and some of the threads have all but gone\u201d.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDebbie is a woman that trusts me with everything but even when I borrowed the dress to make an exact copy she had someone watching while we opened some seams and carefully put them all back\u201d.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In the same letter\u00a0of authentification Andrew Hansford\u00a0from the Travilla Estate\u00a0says:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n “The reasons I know this dress is real:<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The fabric is exactly what Travilla says it was<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n It is boned in the bust area and shaped to Marilyn\u2019s dress (this is very clear to see from pictures)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The bodice is hand pleated and hand stitched into place, not just pleated like the skirt.“<\/span><\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In the 1980’s Mr. Travilla <\/em>asked Debbie Reynolds<\/em> if he could borrow the dress so he could\u00a0make a\u00a0pattern of it as the\u00a0original pattern was destroyed in a fire. <\/em> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Miss Reynolds<\/em> agreed, and Mr. Travilla <\/em>took measurements, opened some seams\u00a0and repaired a few small areas to preserve the dress\u00a0so Miss Reynolds<\/em> could\u00a0display it.<\/p>\n The audio quote from William Travilla <\/em>stating, “Debbie Reynolds has the original dress from The Seven Year Itch”, <\/em>answers any question or concern as\u00a0to the authenticity of the dress. Plain and simple. Since Mr Travilla<\/em> designed and created the dress\u00a0 he would be the person to recognize one of his creations.<\/p>\n Collectors should\u00a0note that the dress was re used by another actress, Roxanne Arlen<\/em>, in the 1962 film Bachelor Flat<\/em>.<\/p>\n