Makeup Beat

María Félix was an actress, a leading figure of the golden era of the Cinema of Mexico. One of the biggest movie stars in Latin America, the strong and sexy leading lady in nearly fifty movies. She became a star in the 1940s and was known as “La Doña,” after her character in Doña Bárbara (1943). Her iconic status in Mexico has been compared to that of Marilyn Monroe’s in the United States, and her love life was as newsworthy as her film appearances. Her other films include Rio Escondido and Enamorada, both released in 1947, and Luis Buñuel’s Fever Mounts at El Pao (1959). After a television series in 1970, Felix appeared in only one film, but she remained in the news, famous for her fashion sense and jet-setting image. Her beauty and aggressive style landed her a steady spot on best-dressed lists. She traveled in illustrious circles; friends ranged from film directors Luis Bunuel and Jean Renoir to Baron Guy de Rothschild and Prince Ali Khan. Her fourth husband, a Swiss banker, owned a stable with 100 thoroughbreds. Felix’s racing silks and saddles were made by Hermes and her jewels by Cartier. She died on her 88th birthday from a heart attack. Felix left the bulk of her fortune to her 28 year-old assistant, Luis Martinez de Anda.

Maria wearing Cartier snake earrings. Photo source: NewYorkSocialDiary.com

An unrepentant diva, Félix had a penchant for collecting husbands and lovers that was only surpassed by her love of jewelry. The pièce de résistance of a collection Cartier released in her honor last year is an emerald-and-diamond-encrusted gold necklace modeled after one particularly famous commission.

Crocodile Necklace – Cartier Paris, special order, 1975 © Cartier

The story behind this is that Maria Felix was reported to have stalked into the Paris boutique with a baby crocodile in tow and asked the stunned jewelers to replicate the reptile in gems, stipulating, no less, that the piece be done to scale. They had to do it fast as the baby crocs were growing pretty big. And they delivered.
“Entirely articulated, the two crocodiles can be worn separated as brooches or together as a necklace.” © Cartier. Photo below shows Maria wearing the necklace.

An over-the-top trove from the estate of the flamboyant movie star was offered at Christie’s International in New York on July 17 and 18. The 607 lots included a lime-green Dior gown festooned with ostrich feathers and a movie-promotion drawing by her longtime crush, artist Diego Rivera.
The honorary host of the opening party, was actress Salma Hayek, who is engaged to Francois-Henri Pinault, son of Christie’s owner, Francois Pinault. The sale reached a total of $7.3 million. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Mexican Red Cross.
* Click here for a fascinating personal account by her friend Luis Estévez as told to David Patrick Columbia.