The Iconic Appeal of Marilyn Monroe

She may be gone, but decades after her death Marilyn Monroe is hotter than ever.

From NBC's newest show "Smash" to the Oscar nominated film "My Week with Marilyn," the blonde bombshell seems to be everywhere these days.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's death, but her appeal seems stronger than ever.

The Facebook page run by her estate has more than 2 million fans, many of them teenagers.

"When we put up one of her quotes, that are attributed to Marilyn, the response we get is phenomenal. Within hours we'll have sometimes upwards of 15,000 likes on one of her quotes," said Nick Woodhouse, CMO of Authentic Brands Group, the corporation which owns the licensing rights to Monroe's name and likeness.

"She's a fashion icon, a style icon," Woodhouse said.

Woodhouse believes Monroe's humble beginnings add to her appeal.

"I think there's a real yearning for Americans, and the world, to harken back to that nostalgic era, and I think Marilyn represents that era better than anybody," Woodhouse said.

In fact, it's hard to escape Marilyn Monroe in the heart of Hollywood, where she has a star on the walk of fame, and where tourists from around the world snatch up Monroe souvenirs.

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Woodhouse said they're planning to market Marilyn with more high-end brands.

"We only need partners, or want partners that recognize that she's sophisticated, she’s elegant, she embodies timelessness," Woodhouse said.

And the fascination with Marilyn Monroe extends to the beauty and fashion world, where her look remains timeless.

On the pages of Glamour Magazine, there is the headline "Everyone's Pulling a Marilyn" above a montage of modern day starlets mimicking Monroe's sultry look.

"She's always been sort of relevant as far as fashion and beauty go because she’s such an icon, but I think recently there's been a huge redux toward glamour," said wardrobe stylist Bethany Winters.

"It's a really iconic look, and it's a look that women aspire to. I think when you tend to glam up like that it makes you feel pretty, and it makes you feel good about yourself, and that never goes out of style."

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