The iconic ‘sex kitten’ : Brigitte Bardot, dies aged 91
Born in Paris, raised a Catholic, Brigitte showed signs of fierce independence early on. Her parents chose her peers, selected conservative clothing and introduced her to ballet in aspiration of her becoming a ballerina.
In resentment of her parents and their strict upbringing, Bardot, followed a career in acting. She had been noticed by film director Marc Allegret, when signed as a junior fashion model by Helene Gordon-Lazareff, the director Elle magazine.
Head strong Actress
Brigitte fell in love with her first husband Roger Vadim.
When her parents found out, her father bought her a ticket to London.
In defiance, Brigitte, placed her head in an oven with an open fire, resulting in her relationship being accepted on the condition she married at 18.
“Fast and Furious”
Her career took off as fast as her relationships. Ever passionate, Brigitte, left Roger after 4 years, marrying again in 1959. In her life she married four times and had numerous affairs. Her fame and image had become her priority and when she fell pregnant and was unable to get an abortion, she fell into depression, rejecting her son Nicolas and resorting to narcotics and attempted suicide.
“Vanity and Cause“
However, the reflection of Brigitte ran deeper than her looks. Once a fashion icon modelling designer furs, she became an advocate against animal cruelty, even turning to vegetarianism and auctioning off her personal items to raise awareness and funding.
In many roles she portrayed femininity, sensuality and changed her hair colour blonde to ‘fit’ the iconic imagery of a woman. Yet her strength of mind, confidence and passion for life, freedom and all she believed in, demonstrated a self-confident woman who was proud to lead.
Bardot was not adhering to conceptualism of what was expected of a woman in the 1930s and beyond, she was rewriting it and leaving her legacy. Brigitte was known for freeing the female body from constraints…allowing women to embrace their style and using their bodies to express themselves for themselves.
written by Izzi palmer
