And B.B. created style

Paris (France) - She had the art of elevating simplicity. Brigitte Bardot consistently inspired with her relaxed, head-to-toe style, turning simple pieces like the Breton top and ballet flats into cult classics.

Beyond these timeless womenswear staples, the Brigitte Bardot style also encompassed silhouettes that were both sexy and liberated. It was a blend of masculine-feminine, western and glamour, a look that is more relevant than ever.

Ballet flats

A classical dancer before becoming a world-renowned actress and singer, Brigitte Bardot was accustomed to Repetto's dance slippers. In 1956, she asked the brand to create a ballet flat that was just as light and comfortable, but more flattering and sexy. This ballet flat, named 'Cendrillon', was immortalised in carmin red in Roger Vadim's “And God... Created Woman”. This model has since become a cult shoe for Repetto, available in various colours and materials.

The actress rarely went without these flat shoes, pairing them with full midi skirts, cigarette trousers or capri pants. Thanks to her, the ballet flat made its way onto the streets and even into Hollywood.

Gingham print

In the 1960s, women typically married in white. B.B., however, broke the mould. In 1959, she said “I do” to actor Jacques Charrier in a pink gingham dress with three-quarter length sleeves and broderie anglaise trim. The look was crowned by a voluminous blonde mane, without any accessories.

Until then, the checked print had been associated with tea towels and jam jar lids. “I designed a dress that reminded me of the little shepherdesses of the 18th century,” explained the dress's designer, Jacques Esterel, who sold millions of them worldwide. Decades later, the legend still sells. In 2010, the luxury leather goods house Lancel launched a line of “B.B.” bags featuring a bright pink gingham lining.

Breton top

While Chanel adapted this military and menswear garment for women, it was BB who brought worldwide fame to the striped T-shirt, which she wore both loose and fitted. Jean-Luc Godard dressed B.B. in a Breton top in “Le Mépris” in 1963. In the film, she also sports a headband, which became another of her trademarks.

Bare shoulders

The Bardot neckline: the actress lent her name to a neckline that reveals the shoulders and upper chest, sometimes in a sweetheart shape.

Western

In the late 1960s, B.B. sang that she “needs no one on a Harley Davidson” while wearing a leather micro-dress and thigh-high boots created for her by Roger Vivier. In the 1970s, she became a fan of the Cavalli style, with its mix of denim, leather and animal prints, after he opened his boutique in Saint-Tropez where the actress lived.

Blonde volume, doe eyes

Whether worn loose and tousled, in a backcombed bun or as a beehive, the star's consistently voluminous hairstyle was widely copied. It was sometimes adorned with a headband to accentuate her eyes. The actress popularised the smoky-eyed look, using eyeliner to create her signature doe eyes.

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