The dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962 has become one of the most recognizable garments in history. Far less famous is the man who designed it. More than 60 years after Monroe donned the crystal-studded gown, it returned to the headlines when Kim Kardashian borrowed the fragile original for the 2022 Met Gala, igniting a fierce debate among fashion historians and conservators. The man behind the dress was French costume designer Jean Louis. Born Jean Louis Berthault, he dropped his surname in true Hollywood fashion and went on to shape the screen personas of some of cinema’s greatest…
