The Femme Fatale in Modern Day Fashion

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- Delilah

Delilah has been known for the temptress who tricked Samson with voluptuary and treachery into revealing that the secret of his extreme strength lies in his long shiny hair. She cuts his hair while he was sleeping, forcing him to loose his power, which leads to his capture at the hands of his enemies.

- Ancient World

- Cleopatra

Cleopatra married her brother Ptolemy XII at the age of 17. She then led a revolt against him with the aid of Julius Caesar. She went on to marry a second brother and she became the wife of Caesar, whom she followed to Rome from Egypt. After the murder of Caesar, Cleopatra returned to Egypt and won over the heart of Marc Anthony. She saw her marriage to Anthony as a way of reestablishing power over the Egyptian throne. Both Marc Anthony and Cleopatra eventually committed suicide.

Cleopatra’s beauty and sexual prowess were key elements, but this beauty would not have taken far if it wasn’t for her ambition, charm, and intelligence. She was presumably fluent in many languages, and possessed great leadership skills, which made her able to create alliances with the Roman Empire.

- Medieval Europe

- Succubus

Succubus are demons disguised as beautiful women who engages in sexual activity with sleeping men, causing them to have horrible dreams that leave them fatigued. They are thought by some scholars to have evolved from the primitive nature goddesses.

- Sirens

These predatory creatures evolve from the early tales of exploration mixed with the Oriental half bird - half woman, sometimes linked to the Harpies of Greco-Roman mythology and generally believed to be the daughters of the sea God Phorcys or of the river God Achelous. These devilish vixens would lure sailors to death by intoxicating them with songs.

- 19th Century Literature

- Carmilla

Carmilla, a well-known creation of Joseph Sheridan de Fanu, was written 25 years before Dracula. She is an ancient, beautiful, and original female vampire who mysteriously befriends an innocent young girl in order to suck her blood. She also hits on her protege, including a dose of lesbianism in the "fatal female sexuality" mix into double trouble.

- Hollywood

- Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo had been known for playing femme fatale roles consecutively in The Temptress (1926), Flesh and the Devil (1926), Susan Lennox: Her Fall and Rise (1931), and Camille (1936). In 1931, Greta was famous for her performance in portraying a femme fatale character named Mata Hari, whom is known as the Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was female double agent in World War I. Her character was executed by the French for spying for the Germans, however the validity of these charges remains a mystery to this day.

- Greta Garbo’s Influences in Fashion

The Marchesa duo was thinking of an opium dream, and poppies were well represented throughout. Flowers made of sheared feathers decorated an A-line gown; red faille silk was draped into a giant bloom on the front of the collection's most promising red-carpet contender. Sexy, decadent, and hedonistic were the words they used to describe the collection.

Another influence would be Garbo’s appearance as an inspiration for an editorial of Flavia de Oliveira posing as 'Greta Garbo' was taken by Pascal Chevallier for Elle September 2009.

- Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, the great American diva, has been at the center of controversies due to her rumored relationships with President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert Kennedy. However, her relationships extend to other well-known figures that fell for her beauty, like Arthur Miller, Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis and Joe DiMaggio. Monroe acquired the status of femme fatale after her role in Niagara.

- Marilyn Monroe’s Influences in Fashion

Inspired by an American icon, British designer Jenny Packham packed glamour, class and evocative feelings into her Spring/Summer 2015 collection. Inspired by the evocative style of Marilyn Monroe, this season’s collection featured crepes in pillarbox red and bold china blue, off-shoulder draping and waist cinched silhouettes, alongside sleek figures in textured metallic. “Her imagery has just never faded. It’s still as relevant now. It’s always there. I couldn’t think of anyone else that has carried on like that.” –Jenny Packham.

The other influence of Monroe in the fashion industry was seen through Guess who re-issued the 3-Zip Marilyn Jeans which was originally from 1982 for its 30th anniversary. The high-waste slim-fit ankle length jeans were highly in demand and earned much popularity to the brand during 1980s. The brand also drew inspiration from the legendary actress for its Fall/Winter collection 2011, featuring pieces like straight-legged, flared and cropped denim jeans along with feminine tops like the ones donned by Ms. Monroe.

It is also very significant that Marilyn Monroe has been a huge inspiration for campaigns and editorials in any magazine spread throughout the years. From Muse, W, Harper’s Bazzar, to Vanity Fair, Monroe’s character has been portrayed by well-known faces like Charlize Theron, Madonna, Amber Heard, Kate Moss, Milla Jovovic, and Kate Upton.

- Today’s Femme Fatale

- Jessica Rabbit

This hyper-sexy cartoon character dreamt up as a satire of the entire idea for Who Framed Roger Rabbit. "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." Jessica Rabbit is a buxom redhead who dresses in full-length gowns, sings jazz numbers, and cavorts with powerful men outside of her marriage, while still professing to love her husband. She is an active player throughout the entirety of the movie, serving as the basis around which the large majority of the plot revolves. She is trouble personified even though the movie’s protagonist is happily engaged, while being the prime suspect in the murder of a real estate tycoon, nonetheless sways her.

- Jessica Rabbit’s Influences in Fashion

These stunning pictures of Australian model, Codie Young, posing as a modern day Jessica Rabbit, were taken

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