In the 1960s and 1970s it was possible, for the lucky ones who got to do so, to meet extraordinary and unique men like Gianni Agnelli, Enzo Ferrari, Alain Delon, Sean Connery, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Colin Chapman and others.
Or women of a beauty and elegance unimaginable today, such as Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, Francoise Hardy, Jean Shrimpton, Veruschka, Anita Ekberg, Barbro Peterson and Nina Rindt.
Brigitte Bardot.
But, above all, Brigitte Bardot lived and made her name during that period.
Without indulging in facile rhetoric, Brigitte was simply the most beautiful of all, the most desired and fascinating woman of all time.
Brigitte Bardot with Alain Delon.
With Alain Delon they would have been the most beautiful couple in the world.
Yes, she was, because from today Brigitte is no more. She passed away on tiptoe, greeted by her beloved animals, the true support and love of her life.
And she left an unfillable void in all those who knew her personally and otherwise, because another like Brigitte will never exist again and it's as if a piece of our lives has irremediably disappeared.
We had the privilege of living, at least in part, in her time and that's already a lot.
You carry with you the most beautiful time that has ever existed and that will never return.
You taught everyone so much without claiming to do so.
You couldn't have done more.
Adieu Brigitte.
"I've made solitude my armor. A protection from humans, too strong, too invasive. I live surrounded by a living silence: trees, flowers, animals. Horses, donkeys, rams, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons... And of course dogs and cats. I don't even know how many there are, but I know one thing: I feel infinitely closer to them than humans. Yes, many people disgust me. So I chose to dedicate my life to the animal cause. To make it meaningful. To remember that cruelty to animals is a shame, an indignity, a betrayal of our humanity. I don't care what they think of me." Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by Bridgeman Images.
Even Ferrari wanted to give her, the most beautiful of all, a gift by naming one of its most beautiful cars after her.
Ferrari 512 BB.
Brigitte Bardot and Ferrari united forever.
The article presenting the Ferrari 512 BB (pages 126 - 137) in the November 1981 issue of ‘Quattroruote’.
One of Pininfarina's finest creations: elegant, balanced and sporty all at once. It also boasts the two-tone paint scheme that typically tames any car. It perfectly fulfills its role as the 308's big sister, also designed by a Pininfarina in a state of grace. The mechanics are a different story entirely, the result of a heavy compromise that penalizes its handling, as does any sporting ambition: the gearbox mounted under the flat engine negates any potential advantages in terms of a high center of gravity. It remains a masterpiece of style.
Ferrari 512 BB.
"Brigitte Bardot, the Ferrari BB was dedicated to her": the history of one of the world's most famous GTs is being rewritten. Fioravanti and the Ferrari Brigitte Bardot, with the P6 from which it derived in the background. Leonardo Fioravanti, creator of the famous model, reveals, after years, the behind-the-scenes story of the only Ferrari with a woman's name. "We were fascinated by this car." By Vincenzo Borgomeo on August 01, 2018.
"Yes, the Ferrari BB was named in honor of Brigitte Bardot": Leonardo Fioravanti himself, the dynamic engineer who designed the most beautiful Ferraris for Pininfarina from 1964 to 1987 (among many others, in addition to the BB, the Daytona, the 365 GT 2+2, the 308 and many others) and who has been managing Fioravanti Srl since 1987 (which began as an architectural firm and later expanded to include industrial services and, in particular, the design of transportation vehicles, including another Ferrari, the first modern one-off), revealed the mystery. "When we were working on the prototype, my contacts in Maranello, Angelo Bellei and Sergio Scaglietti and I literally fell in love with that Ferrari, the first mid-engined car in the Prancing Horse's history," explains the engineer. "It seemed beautiful to us."
To the point that…
“Yes, internally, among ourselves, we had christened it Brigitte Bardot, BB: the emotional involvement was strong… Then, as we continued with the development work, it became natural to call that car BB in all the Ferrari departments involved in the development.”
However, a Ferrari with a woman's name has never been seen.
“Yes, but in the end it became so natural to call the car so that, after many hours of work, Brigitte Bardot BB, remained.”
Why?
“When prototypes are born with a code name, this name then remains in discussions, references and development.”
How did we get to the point where BB equals Berlinetta Boxer?
“It was the solution they found in Maranello, but it contained two major distortions. The first is linked to the word Berlinetta: it normally referred to front-engined cars, with a body similar to that of a sedan, certainly not to a mid-engined supercar. The second is Boxer: the BB's engine is not technically a boxer but a V12 with a 180-degree angle. The difference, notable from a mechanical standpoint, lies in the different crankshaft.”
I'm not saying to bend technology to marketing, but why didn't Ferrari choose the boxer?
"There wasn't much to choose from: it was impossible to make a boxer with the extremely high revs of the 12-cylinder; the choice was forced from a technical standpoint. Plus, that engine was derived from the 312B's F1 motor which had already begun to assert itself in 1970..."
Then came the presentation.
“At the 1971 Turin Motor Show the 365 GT/4 BB was presented, where officially “365” as is customary in Maranello indicates the unit displacement which, multiplied by twelve, brings to 4.4 litres (cc), “GT” stands for “Gran Turismo”, “4” for the number of overhead camshafts (two per cylinder bank) and “BB” for “Berlinetta Boxer”, a nice solution to cover a love story between us who had given birth to a car of great emotional involvement.”
1978 Ferrari 512 BB. Photo by Simon Gosselin / RM Sotheby's.
The BB secret. The Ferrari 365 GT4 BB was so beautiful that at Maranello it was nicknamed after one of the most celebrated movie stars of the time. And, with a little slight of hand, they managed to incorporate the moniker into its official name. By Vincenzo Borgomeo on 18 March 2020.
It's well known that Ferrari names are wonderful and poetic. For years, these names were simply assigned according to the engine's unit displacement. Indeed, it used to be possible to you could calculate the displacement of a Ferrari by multiplying the car's name by the number of cylinders (for example, 275 times 12 equals3,300, and so on). But a particular Ferrari has an amazing name engraved on its bodywork, that of a film star. It is the BB, named in honour of Brigitte Bardot.
It sounds like an incredible story and it could easily become the plot of a movie. It all began when Ferrari set out on the seemingly impossible quest to find an heir to the beautiful Daytona. The specifications given to Pininfarina were seemingly impossible to satisfy: 'build a car with a 12-cylinder engine mounted centrally rather than at the front, but with the same appeal of the Daytona.'
1978 Ferrari 512 BB. Photo by Simon Gosselin / RM Sotheby's.
The aim was to crush the competition and it was no accident that the engine chosen for the new supercar was no longer the classic V12 but the 'flat' 12-cylinder model, that same engine with the 180-degree 'V' that had brought endless joy in Niki Lauda's Formula One car.
It was an impossible task since the new car could obviously no longer feature the superb, endless bonnet sported by the 275 GTB or by the Daytona, nor could it have a tapered rear end and had to say goodbye to that rear windscreen reminiscent of the classic GT Coupé. The challenge was to bring elegance to a mid-engine supercar with a tiny, wedge-shaped nose.
Pininfarina succeeded, manufacturing a masterpiece prototype by joining two shells, one above and one below, (which is why the first BB was two-toned, as emphasised by its black side). Its front was extremely flat and squashed, with a wrap-around windscreen and a bonnet that, for the first time, transformed air-intakes and cooling grids into sheer design features.
1978 Ferrari 512 BB. Photo by Simon Gosselin / RM Sotheby's.
It was a masterpiece, the brainchild of Leonardo Fioravanti. The prototype was truly beautiful and had such charm that Fioravanti and his colleagues at Maranello, Angelo Bellei and Sergio Scaglietti, fell head over heels for that Ferrari. It was true love, so much so that, between themselves, they nicknamed it Brigitte Bardot, or BB, as the French actress was known.
The emotional involvement was deep, the car outrageous and the challenge of building the first mid-engine vehicle in the history of Ferrari was immense. As they worked hard on fine-tuning the prototype, all Ferrari units working on the car's development got into the habit of referring to it as BB, Brigitte Bardot.
And finally came the time for that magical 1971 Turin Motor Show and the unveiling of the 365 GT4 BB. The name deserves a proper explanation: as per usual at Maranello, '365' stood for the unit displacement which, multiplied by twelve, gave a total displacement of 4.4 litres; 'GT' meant 'Gran Turismo'; '4' referred to the number of overhead camshafts (two per bank); but as for the 'BB'... A Ferrari with a woman's name was unheard of. So, officially it said to represent 'Berlinetta Boxer': a neat solution to cover up the love story.
1978 Ferrari 512 BB. Photo by Simon Gosselin / RM Sotheby's.
Yet it was a strained argument, as it concealed two pieces of evidence that BB actually meant Brigitte Bardot. The first issue relates to the term 'Berlinetta': not only for Ferrari, the term usually denoted a front-engined car with bodywork that recalled a saloon ('berlina' in Italian) and certainly not a futuristic mid-engined supercar.
The second poetic licence was the term 'Boxer': the BB engine is not technically a boxer engine, it's a V12 engine spread out to a 180-degree angle. From a mechanical standpoint, the difference is remarkable and clearly noticeable in the boxer's crankshaft, which looks different and seems to push the pistons against each other (hence its name). Besides, no boxer engine could withstand the incredibly high rotation speed typical of a Ferrari 12-cylinder engine which - and not by accident, derived from the 312B's engine that was thrilling the world of Formula 1.
Be that as it may, the new Ferrari drove the world crazy, just as Brigitte did. Jorge Veiga used to sing “BB, BB, BB por que é que todo mundo olha tanto pra você?” ("BB, BB, BB why does the whole world look at you so?"). A glance at the car and at the actress, said it all.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by Fireshot / Universal Images Group via Getty Images.
Disco Samba. Brigitte Bardot, a name that has been iconic on dance floors for over 50 years. "Brigitte Bardot Bardot" is the musical consecration of a legend that transcends time and themes, transforming into a ‘go to dance floor’, rhythm and collective joy.
Just listen to a rhythmic "Brigitte Bardot Bardot" and the train on the dance floor starts. It's a symbol that the name of the actress, who passed away at 91, transcends topics and time and becomes a symbol of celebration, uniting generations under the banner of joy.
It all began in Rio de Janeiro, when journalist and composer Miguel Gustavo, in 1960, wrote a song dedicated to the French diva. The lyrics are simple, the rhythm explosive and the voice is that of singer Jorge Veiga: "Brigitte Bardot Bardot, Brigitte beijou beijou, no fundo do cinema todo o mundo se afogou" (Brigitte Bardot Bardot, Brigitte has kissed, has kissed, at the bottom of the cinema the whole world has drowned).
In 1978, the song was included by the Belgian trio ‘Two Man Sound’ in a samba-disco medley titled "Disco Samba," along with other South American songs and achieved overwhelming success. From that moment on, the song became the perfect foundation for any party dance.
“I lived my life the way I wanted to, not the way others expected me to live it.” Brigitte Bardot
"I'd rather rest there than in the Saint-Tropez cemetery, where a crowd of idiots would risk damaging the graves of my parents and grandparents", Brigitte Bardot confided to Le Monde in 2018. Her wishes were clear: she wanted to be buried in her beloved home ‘La Madrague’, just steps from the sea, surrounded by the animals she loved so much and close to the most intimate memories of her life. However, after many rumors and conflicting reports, the first official confirmations have arrived: Bardot's funeral will be held in Saint-Tropez and her grave will be in the marine cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean, where her parents already rest.
La Madrague.
Bardot passed away in her home, the same fisherman's house she had transformed into a symbolic place of her existence. She had purchased La Madrague in the late 1950s and taken refuge there, away from the spotlight, choosing to live with her husband Bernard d'Ormale until her death. Her journalist friend Wendy Bouchard recounted that Bardot had asked to be buried in her garden, next to the sea and the animals. According to Bouchard, for Bardot, that place meant everything: "she wanted to reunite her body with this land that has seen so many suffering, but which has also witnessed her commitment."
Anne Cécile Huprelle with Brigitte Bardot.
For me, she represents a luminous, unimaginable chapter in my life. I owe to her highlights of complicity, contemplation, poetry and... Crazy laughter... The legendary cast of BB... Invitations to joy, to dance, to love, to solitude, to life. The elegance of courtship. Her wolf eyes, so beautiful. Hours and hours of discussions. A book, their animals from the will. The last line of this one: "my soul is an animal." Anne Cécile Huprelle
Photo gallery
A young Brigitte Bardot in a ballerina costume.
A young Brigitte Bardot.
A young Brigitte Bardot in a bikini.
A young Brigitte Bardot in a bikini.
A young Brigitte Bardot in a bikini.
Brigitte Bardot in France, circa 1954. Photo by Roger Viollet via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in Saint Tropez in 1956. Photo by Willy Rizzo.
Brigitte Bardot on the set of 'La Parisienne' by Michel Boisrond in 1957. Photo by Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot on the set of 'La Parisienne' by Michel Boisrond in 1957. Photo by Alex Quinio / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot lying on a Citroen 2 CV in 1957.
Brigitte Bardot at Saint-Tropez in a Citroën 2 CV in 1958.
Elizabeth Taylor's glamour, Brigitte Bardot's charm and Elvis Presley's rockstar vibes come together in perfect harmony.
At the Brooklyn press conference on 28 September 1958, Elvis was asked: “what would you like to do the most on your first leave in Europe”? “I’d like to go to Paris,” Elvis replied, “… and look up Brigitte Bardot.” This response elicited laughter among the newsmen. However, Brigitte Bardot quickly responded to Presley’s remark via the press that she was not interested in meeting Elvis and criticized him saying he was not “refined.” This prompted Elvis to reply: “everybody quoted me as saying I wanted to date her. That isn’t what I said. I only made the statement that I admire her and would like to meet her. There’s a lot of people I admire and would like to meet.”
Brigitte Bardot described their first encounter as electric, an undeniable connection that both stars couldn’t ignore. While Elvis was known for his countless relationships, Bardot’s beauty and allure left a lasting impression on him and the two began seeing each other in secret. Though their relationship was short-lived, it was intense, filled with the kind of passion and excitement that only two global icons could experience. The details of their time together remained unknown to the public, until Bardot decided to speak out. In her final years, she confessed that she had always felt a deep, unspoken connection to Elvis, one that went beyond the physical. She spoke of their long conversations, their shared love of music and the quiet moments they spent away from the spotlight. Bardot explained that Elvis was unlike anyone she had ever met, a man who, despite his fame, had a deep, vulnerable side that only a few ever got to see. She recalled how their relationship had been a brief but unforgettable escape from the pressures of their public lives. The revelation that Bardot and Elvis had shared such an intimate and passionate relationship stunned fans around the world. For decades, both stars had kept their personal lives carefully hidden from the public eye and to hear Bardot speak so openly about her time with Elvis left many in awe.
French actress Brigitte Bardot does the cha-cha under the direction of comic Darius Moreno in Nice, France, on 08 May 1959. B.B. appears in a new movie called ‘Will you dance with me’ in which Moreno plays the part of a dancing teacher. Photo by Bettman / Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Jacques Charrier on their honeymoon in 1959.
Brigitte Bardot and Jacques Charrier at the premiere of the film 'Babette goes to war' at the cinema 'Normandie' on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on 20 September 1959. Photo by Keystone – France / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot on the beach in 1958 or 1959.
Brigitte Bardot on the beach in Saint Tropez. Photo by Jicky Dussart.
Brigitte Bardot sitting on a Riva speedboat.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
A naked Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot in a bikini.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot in the car.
Brigitte Bardot on a Velo Solex.
“I don’t care what people think of me. I care what I think of myself.” Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot, icon of the Tropezian fashion. The latest fashion from Tropez: an Indian silk scarf tied in a headband. The headband worn by Brigitte Bardot is the rallying sign of the old Tropezians overwhelmed by summer visitors: it means "we will never abandon Saint-Tropez".
The iconic style of BB! Brigitte Bardot, the French actress and model, was known for her effortless chic and androgynous style, which included a signature look that often featured oversized sunglasses. Her sunglasses became an integral part of her iconic image and have been emulated by many fashion enthusiasts over the years. Bardot's sunglasses were typically oversized, with large lenses and frames that added to her androgynous, boyish charm.
Brigitte Bardot with sunglasses.
Known for her so-called bohemian-chic style, Brigitte Bardot merged styles to better create her own. Her sunglasses very often had smoked lenses, which added a little touch of mystery to the young woman.
Brigitte Bardot with sunglasses.
Brigitte Bardot and her trendy sunglasses.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by George Vreeland Hill.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by George Vreeland Hill.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by George Vreeland Hill.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by George Vreeland Hill.
Brigitte Bardot in a bikini.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot on a Citroen 2 CV.
Brigitte Bardot in a Citroen DS, a French icon that she loved.
Brigitte Bardot with two beautiful cars.
Brigitte Bardot in France, circa 1960. Photo by Reporters Associes / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in France, circa 1960. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in the mountains in France, circa 1960. Photo by Reporters Associes / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot, Stanley, Bob and me, Vinicius de Moraes, João Gilberto, António Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto. This new music was the sound track of Brasilian life in the 60's. Jorge Ben showed me the chords of these so new sounds and rhythm, so I was like crazy playing the bossa night and day! Brigitte was in love with this music too and we played songs together the whole night through. She was a very cool girl and we were very high sharing our lives in this little house located in a little Brazilian fisherman village that became so famous some decades later. Just a detail, a pity I wasn't at all, at that time, involved into photography; and Brigitte was so devilishly stunning! She had just done ‘La vérité’ of the film director Henry Clouzot in 1960 and she was at the top of her carrier and her beauty! The funny thing is that we couldn't go out cause Brazilian people were really crazy for Brigitte, no way to go for a restaurant or a walk in Ipanema! So carnaval of Rio came like a release as she could hide behind a mask! Anyway great times with my childhood friends Bob and Stanley and the so sweet and cool girl that was Brigitte Bardot!!
Brigitte Bardot and Francois Chalais during the shooting of the program Cinepanorama, dedicated to Henri Georges Clouzot's movie ‘The truth’ on 09 June 1960. Photo by Daniel Fallot / INA via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot during a scene in a dance class during the filming of the movie 'Vie privée' in Paris in 1961. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and the Brothers Jacques during the recording of the program ‘Happy New Year Brigitte’ on 07 December 1961. Photo by Jean Claude Pierdet / INA via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in 1962.
Portrait of Brigitte Bardot during the filming of the movie 'Le Repos du guerrier' directed by Roger Vadim in Paris, France, in 1962. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma Rapho via Getty Images.
Portrait of Brigitte Bardot during the filming of the movie 'Le Repos du guerrier' directed by Roger Vadim in Paris, France, in 1962. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma Rapho via Getty Images.
Actress Brigitte Bardot on the set of film ‘Vie Privee’. Photo by The Picture Collection LLC.
Brigitte Bardot and Gunther Sachs in Saint Tropez, France, in August 1962. Photo by Reporters Associes / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot relaxes in barefoot on her new Renault Caravelle at her villa in St. Tropez, France, on 08 October 1962.
French actress Brigitte Bardot starring in Jean-Luc Godard's film 'Le Mepris' in 1963.
Brigitte Bardot in 1963.
Brigitte Bardot walks the streets of Capri, Italy, in 1963. Photo by Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot with her boyfriend actor Sami Frey aboard a Riva speedboat during the shooting of the movie 'Le Mépris' directed by Jean-Luc Godard in Capri, Italy, on 26 May 1963. Photo by Keystone – France / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot on a Riva Florida speedboat in 1963.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot in 1965. Photo by Douglas Kirkland / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot with a hair band in 1965. Photo by Douglas Kirkland.
Brigitte Bardot in 1965. Photo by Douglas Kirkland / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in ‘Viva Maria!’ in 1965. Photo by Suero.
Brigitte Bardot in ‘Viva Maria!’ in 1965.
Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau on the set of the film 'Viva Maria!, directed by Louis Malle, in Mexico in 1965. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot on the set of the film 'Viva Maria!, directed by Louis Malle, in Mexico in 1965. Photo by Leonard de Raemy / Sygma via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot having a trip to Piediluco lake, Terni, in 1965. Photo by Franco Vitale / Reporters Associati & Archivi / Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her villa of La Madrague in Saint-Tropez, France, in 1965. Photo by Adoc - photos / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her villa of La Madrague in Saint-Tropez, France, in 1965. Photo by Adoc - photos / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot driving her Citroën 2 CV in Saint-Tropez in August 1965. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot poses for photographers during her only formal press conference at the Plaza Hotel on 17 December 1965. Miss Bardot refused to say anything that would hurt anyone's feelings in the slightest. She parried questions by refusing to name her favorite male actor, the actress she thinks is the most beautiful, a comparison of American and European movies or even a statement on New York State wine. Photo by Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot’s interview by ABC News on 17 December 1965. Photo by ABC via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot at a hat collection presentation in Paris, France, in 1966. Photo by Keystone – France / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot at a hat collection presentation in 1966. Photo by Keystone - France / Gamma - Keystone via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot was already wearing pink hair in 1966 for the film ‘Two weeks in September". Photo by Leonard De Raemy.
French actress Brigitte Bardot with her 1962 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II by H.J. Mulliner en route to her vacation home in the French Alps in 1966.
French actress Brigitte Bardot with her 1962 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II by H.J. Mulliner en route to her vacation home in the French Alps in 1966.
Brigitte Bardot and her new husband Gunther Sachs leave Los Angeles Airport on a flight bound for Papeete, Tahiti, for two weeks on 16 July 1966. Sachs said that, after the honeymoon, they would fly back to Paris after a tour around the world.
Brigitte Bardot playing guitar in Saint-Tropez in August 1966. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and her dog during the filming of Serge Bourguignon's 'A coeur joie' in October 1966 in France. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and director Serge Bourguignon during the filming of 'A coeur joie' in the streets of London, UK, in 1966. Photo by Keystone - France / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and director Serge Bourguignon during the filming of 'A coeur joie' in the streets of London, UK, in 1966. Photo by Keystone - France / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
April 1967. To arrive at fashionable Maxim's in a Rolls Royce and to enter the restaurant barefoot takes savoir-faire…... Congratulations Brigitte.
Brigitte Bardot and her father Louis Bardot enter the 'Mic Mac' party at Maxim's in Paris, France, in April 1967. Photo by Giancarlo Botti / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot et Gunther Sachs leave the 'Mic Mac' party at Maxim's in a Rolls-Royce in Paris, France, in April 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in Rome in May 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her 'Lancia Flavia' cabriolet in 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her 'Lancia Flavia' cabriolet in 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her 'Lancia Flavia' cabriolet in 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and her 'Lancia Flavia' cabriolet in 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in her estate La Madrague in Saint-Tropez in July 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot on her boat in Saint-Tropez in July 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Johnny Hallyday playing guitar on a beach in August 1967 in Saint-Tropez, France. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Johnny Hallyday playing guitar on a beach in August 1967 in Saint-Tropez, France. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in a bikini and sarong and Johnny Hallyday playing foosball at the Epi Plage hotel in Saint-Tropez in August 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in a bikini and sarong and Johnny Hallyday playing foosball at the Epi Plage hotel in Saint-Tropez in August 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in a hammock at her home in La Madrague, Saint-Tropez, in August 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Manitas de Plata in Saint-Tropez, France, in September 1967. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg during the rehearsals of the program ‘Sacha show’ on 23 October 1967. Photo by Jean Adda / INA via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and an Harley Davidson during a music video on 31 December 1967.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot in 1968. Photo by Universal Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot in a small plane during the filming of 'Shalako' in Spain in 1968. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot with Sean Connery in France in 1968. Photo by Terry O'Neill.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968. Brigitte Bardot pointed out that her relationship with Delon was always a friendship and never romantic, as was long rumored. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Alain Delon on a boat off the coast of Saint-Tropez on 01 August 1968. Photo by Jean-Pierre Bonnotte / Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot sighted in St. Tropez, France, on 01 September 1968.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot and Sacha Distel in the program ‘Sacha show’ on 12 March 1969. Photo by Jacques Chevry / INA via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and her fiancé Patrick Gilles attend the premiere of the film 'Bullit' at the cinema Le Balzac on 27 March 1969 in Paris, France. Photo by Reporters Associes / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot at the premiere of the film 'The bear and the doll' with her partner Jean-Pierre Cassel and, in the background, her friend Patrick Gilles in Paris on 06 February 1970. Photo by Yves Leroux / Gamma - Rapho via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot during the filming of ‘The Novices’ in 1970. Photo by Terry O'Neill.
Brigitte Bardot was perhaps the only person in the world to overshadow Pelé on a soccer field. On 31 March 1971, at the Yves-du-Manoir stadium in Colombes, BB entered the field to kick off a friendly between Pelé's Santos and a French team composed of players from Marseille and Saint-Étienne. At that moment attention shifted to her, demonstrating to the entire world what a powerful media icon she was in those years. The match, which ended 0-0 and was decided on penalties, took place in a setting constructed for spectacle: Pelé on the pitch, Bardot off. Two figures who had nothing in common, except a symbolic force that transcended the confines of their profession.
Pele and other team members meet Brigitte Bardot at Colombes Stadium on 31 March 1971 during a charity match.
King Pelé, who came to France to participate in a charity event, did not monopolize the photographers' attention. They preferred to focus on Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot with Claudia Cardinale in 1971. They acted together in the film ‘Le Pistolere’.
Brigitte Bardot on the set of ‘Les Petroleuses’, directed by Christian-Jaque, on 02 September 1971. Photo by Leonard de Raemy / Sygma via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot with Francois Cevert and Johhny Servoz-Gavin at the 1971 Paris Motor Show in October 1971. The roaring 70's.
Brigitte Bardot with Francois Cevert at the 1971 Paris Motor Show in October 1971.
Brigitte Bardot with Johhny Servoz-Gavin at the 1971 Paris Motor Show in October 1971.
Brigitte Bardot.
Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin on the set of the 1973 film ‘Don Juan’, directed by Roger Vadim, on 01 November 1972. Photo by Leonard de Raemy / Sygma via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin on the set of the 1973 film ‘Don Juan’, directed by Roger Vadim, on 01 November 1972. Photo by Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin on the set of the 1973 film ‘Don Juan’, directed by Roger Vadim, on 01 November 1972. Photo by Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot ended the summer season in Saint-Tropez by singing during an evening at Club 55, where she was invited with her devoted companion Laurent Vergès on 01 August 1974. Photo by James Andanson / Sygma via Getty Images.
Brigitte Bardot and the daisies in 1975. Photo by Ghislain Dussart.
Brigitte Bardot in a Playboy photoshoot in 1975.
Brigitte Bardot, accompanied by her partner, the French sculptor Miroslav Brozek, before their departure for Canada with Greenpeace during their campaign against seal hunting on 01 March 1977. Photo by James Andanson / Sygma via Getty Images.
The image of Brigitte Bardot holding a baby seal dates back to 1977, when the French actress and activist traveled to Newfoundland, Canada, to protest the brutal seal hunt. The shot, which portrays her holding a baby seal, became a powerful symbol of her fight for animal rights. This gesture represents one of the most emblematic moments of her commitment, which profoundly affected her entire life and led her, in 1986, to found the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which remains active in the protection of animal rights worldwide.
Brigitte Bardot during a joyride with her dogs in 1978.
Brigitte Bardot. Photo by Laurent Maous / Getty Images.
In the final part of her life Brigitte Bardot lamented her loneliness: ‘I have no one left, everyone is gone.”
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