Sophie Dahl, the renowned author and former model, has reutrned to her cover girl roots for a special Harper's Bazaar UK shoot, celebrating the centenry of Marilyn Monroe's birth.

The $48 million legacy

Sophie Dahl, the best-selling author and former model,channels Marilyn Monroe's spirit in a stunning set of images inspired by the late actress's beach photoshoot in Amagansett, Long Island.

Alongside the shoot, Dahl has written a personal essay about the influence the late movie icon has had on her life.

An echo of 1957

Dahl, with her blonde curls and baby blue eyes, poses in lace lingerie and a clinging white dress, capturing the relaxed, off-duty vibes of the original 1957 shoot.

The collaboration with make-up artist Lisa Eldridge MBE also marks the launch of a new Marilyn Monroe-inspired make-up collection.

Monroe's lasting influence

In a personal essay accompanying the shoot, Dahl reflects on Monroe's influence on her life.

She recalls her first encounter with Monroe at the age of seven, when she saw her on the cover of a book called 'The Last Sitting'.

'Smiling through a tangle of bedsheets and platinum-blonde hair, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,' Dahl writes.

From catwalk to page

Dahl's modelling career began at 18 when she was discovered by legendary fashion editor Isabella Blow .

After a successful career that included campaigns for Versace and Alexander McQueen, and a controversial nude campaign for Yves Saint Laurent, Dahl hung up her catwalk heels in 2007 to focus on writing, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Roald Dahl.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The collaboration with make-up artist Lisa Eldridge MBE also marks the launch of a new Marilyn Monroe-inspied make-up collection.

However, the identity of the buyer behind the collection remains unknown.

As the centenary of Marilyn Monroe's birth is celebrated,the influence of the Hollywood icon on Sophie Dahl's life is undeniable .