JOIN USDesigned by William Travilla, the ivory pleated dress was worn by Monroe as she stood over a New York subway grate in the middle of the night to catch the rush of air as a train sped through, sending it upwards to reveal her legs.
It is considered one of the classic moments in the cinema and is perhaps one of the most reproduced photographs of Monroe.
The auction featured rare items collected by Debbie Reynolds.Another dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady' also sold for USD 3.7 million, NY Daily News reported.
Reynolds, 79, purchased many of the rare and valuable items starting in the 1970s.
"I heard the news that MGM was going to sell their inventory of costumes and props. I went everyday for weeks and focused on purchasing the costumes and props of Academy Award winning films. It soon turned into an obsession," the 79-year-old actress said in a statement earlier this year."
The Reynolds Collection includes 3,500 costumes, 20,000 original photographs and several thousand movie posters, props and more.A second auction will be held in December.