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This week:

An iconic look, a new perspective and more on Marilyn Monroe.

Plus, an exciting announcement about Searching for Italy season two. 

Marilyn Monroe's famous pink dress was a last-minute pick after the original was deemed too scandalous 

It's a scene referenced everywhere from Madonna's "Material Girl" to "Birds of Prey." We all remember the moment Marilyn Monroe appeared onstage in a pink satin gown, dripping in diamonds to sing "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend." But did you know her outfit was a last-minute alternative?

Costume designer William "Billy" Travilla, who worked with Monroe on 11 movies including "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," said executives initially tasked him with creating the "sexiest, most exciting, almost naked lady on the screen." 

"The costume was fishnet hose over her nude body," Travilla said about the original look. Monroe was never filmed wearing that outfit, but test photos featuring it were taken. 

After nude photos Monroe had previously posed for were exposed by the press, Travilla was instructed to throw the original costume out and design a "very covered dress" as a safer alternative.

And with that, the pink satin dress we all know and love was created and a cultural touchstone was cemented in history. 

Watch: The story of how Marilyn Monroe advocated for Ella Fitzgerald's career.

CNN's Reframed: Marilyn Monroe reexamines the star, revealing a new story of a complex and powerful woman ahead of her time. You can now watch the Original Series on-demand via your cable provider and on CNNgo. 

I'd like to introduce you to the real Marilyn Monroe

Christina Newland, a film critic featured in the series, wrote an op-ed about how Marilyn Monroe is far from the little lost girl cliché often attached to her.

Here's what she said:

• It's difficult for Monroe to be seen as an actual human being: "Not after this many decades of being a symbol, a sex goddess, a blonde bombshell or a candle in the wind. As author Sarah Churchwell, whose book The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, has said, 'What we think about Marilyn is what we think about women.' In the 1950s, that proved to be a damning indictment. 

• Many women identity with her: "While I was being interviewed for the making of this documentary, I at one point found myself unexpectedly wiping tears from my eyes as I spoke about Monroe. The feeling of kinship we feel with Monroe is, in part, what I suspect has led so many people to find her a source of continuing fascination."

• She was a trailblazer who authored her own image and career: "She did unquestionably pioneering things, and she was equally victimized and forced to tolerate shameless misogyny. What matters is her story and her work stand in proud monument to a deeper cultural understanding and embrace of women's agency and desire. Marilyn Monroe held great power, and in admiring her, so do we."

To read the full article, click here. 

Just announced: Tucci is back for a new season!

We hope you're hungry because Stanley Tucci is back for a new season of Searching for Italy. This season he's exploring new regions of Italy, trying new cuisines and discovering the diverse culture of the country. Make a note, season two premieres March 13 at 9 p.m. ET.  

More to watch: New doc thriller about Alexey Navalny 

The film, Navalny, follows Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who survived an assassination attempt by poisoning with a lethal nerve agent in August 2020. During his recovery, shocking details about the assassination attempt are uncovered — including its potential links to the Kremlin.

The documentary will be broadcast on CNN. More information to come.