Born in 1934, she became an icon in several different ways. A fashion icon, a style icon, an iconic beauty and an icon of France itself. She was desired and lusted after by hot-blooded men across the western world and she in her turn had countless lovers.
She once said, "“I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals” before becoming a powerful advocate for animals. She fought against animal cruelty, the fur trade , hunting as a leisure sport, laboratory use of animals and, most controversially, Muslim slaughter rituals.
Brigitte had just one child - Nicolas-Jacques Charrier - born in 1960 but her relationship with him was always difficult. Initially, she railed against pregnancy and motherhood and it took decades for her to establish a harmonious relationship with her son. I guess that being a sex symbol may not always sit well with simply being a mother.
At my age, I have known of Brigitte Bardot all my life. She was in the same fold as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida. Beautiful and kind of unattainable, her image manipulated by film companies and magazine photographers alike. It is sad that she has now gone, marking another turning point in cultural history.
Sophia Loren was way above BB's "sex kitten" image. Loren is the real thing. A woman.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity my mother died four months before Brigitte. For reasons unfathomable to me, she [my mother] always disputed Bardot's age. Whatever. My mother made it to ninety two. Who is counting.
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