CUT THE RIBBON: MARIA FéLIX, LA DOñA!

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Editorial Staff

Mexican actress, icon, leading lady of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. She was commonly known, particularly in her later years, by the honorific La Doña. Strong temperament , María Félix was discovered by businessman Fernando Palacios in Mexico City while walking in the street. The Calderón Brothers, famous film makers in Mexico, led her to Hollywood. She worked in the US, Spain, France, she married three times but she had just one child. She also had several unmarried partners, including the painter Diego Rivera who in 1949, painted a portrait of her. She later classified as “muy malo” (“really bad”). In fashion, La Doña was dressed by designers like Christian Dior, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Balenciaga. The House of Hermès designed extravagant creations just for her. She was a noted collector of fine antiques, favoring pieces like her famous collection of Second French Empire furniture. She was also a jewellery connoisseur and had an extensive jewelry collection .In 1968, she commissioned a serpent diamond necklace from Cartier Paris as she loved reptiles. The result was a completely articulated serpent made out of platinum and white gold and encrusted with 178.21 carats of diamonds. In 1975, she again asked Cartier to create a necklace for her, this time in the shape of two crocodiles. The two crocodile bodies were made of 524.9 grams of gold, one covered with 1,023 yellow diamonds, while the other was adorned with 1,060 circular cut emeralds. Since Félix’s death, these jewellery pieces have been displayed as part of The Art of Cartier Collection in several museums around the world. To pay tribute to the actress, in 2006 Cartier debuted its La Doña de Cartier collection and Monica Bellucci wore at The Cannes Film Festival that same necklace. Maria Felix was one of the biggest movie stars, a strong and sexy leading lady in nearly fifty movies. She died on her 88th birthday from a heart attack. She left the bulk of her fortune to her 28 year-old assistant, Luis Martinez de Anda.

…pass me that ribbon!CUT!