The Most Iconic French Girls of All Time, From Brigitte Bardot to Jeanne Damas
There’s a reason “French girl style” is such an oft-repeated fashion troupe; it may be a bit of an eye-roll, but at the end of the day it is true that French women have inherently cool style. To steal another clichéd phrase, it is all about that “je ne sais quoi.” There’s a bit of unpolished, effortlessness to this particular brand of aesthetic that is just utterly enviable. It’s a mix of perfectly tousled hair, the best-fitting jeans, a cool, flat shoe, and some variation of a t-shirt and blazer that somehow comes together to make the chicest ensemble imaginable. Among the earliest representatives are Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Hardy, and Brigitte Bardot, who have all gone down as some of the best dressed women in history. Today, we have the likes of Jeanne Damas, Lea Seydoux, and Charlotte Gainsbourg keeping the tradition alive, in the ever-so-stylish ensembles, both on and off the red carpet. Here, a look back at some of the most fashionable French women of all time.
1Catherine Deneuve
French actress Catherine Deneuve at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1966. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
2Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy has been cited as an inspiration for many fashion figures such as André Courrèges, Paco Rabanne, and Nicolas Ghesquière. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
3Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot, here in 1960, was a French actress, singer, dancer and fashion model, who later became an animal rights activist. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
4Carla Bruni
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy exits the The Metropolitan Museum of Art following the The White House Symposium on Advancing Global Literacy Meeting on September 22, 2008 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
5Charlotte Gainsbourg
Charlotte Gainsbourg attends the Cesar Film Awards 2013 at Theatre du Chatelet on February 22, 2013 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
6Eva Green
Eva Green started her career as a model in France, eventually becoming Tim Burton’s newest muse. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
7Vanessa Paradis
Since breaking out at age 14, Vanessa Paradis has been the face of Chanel since 1991. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
8Melanie Laurent
Melanie Laurent attends ‘L’Attrape-Reves’ Paris Premiere at UGC Cine Cite des Halles on October 20, 2016 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
9Ines de la Fressange
Ines de la Fressange attends the Schiaparelli show as part of Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2015/2016 on July 6, 2015 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
10Soko
Soko attends the Gucci Cruise 2019 show at Alyscamps on May 30, 2018 in Arles, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
11Audrey Tautou
Audrey Tautou arrives at the H&M fashion show during Paris Fashion Week Fall Winter 2015/2016 on March 4, 2015 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
12Lou Doillon
Lou Doillon attends the Saint Laurent show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2017/2018 on February 28, 2017 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
13Lea Seydoux
Lea Seydoux attends the ‘Louis Vuitton Masters: a collaboration with Jeff Koons’ dinner at Musee du Louvre on April 11, 2017 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
14Constance Jablonski
Constance Jablonski attends Harper’s Bazaar: 150th Anniversary Party at The Rainbow Room on April 19, 2017 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
15Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard attends the Chopard and Annabel’s Gentleman’s Evening at the Hotel Martinez during the 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2017 in Cannes, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
16Jeanne Damas
Jeanne Damas attends the Tory Burch Regent Street opening on May 22, 2017 in London, England. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
17Caroline de Maigret
Caroline de Maigret attends the CHANEL Metiers D’art Collection Paris Cosmopolite show at the Tsunamachi Mitsui Club on May 31, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
18Clemence Poesy
Clemence Poesy attends Vogue Foundation Dinner during Paris Fashion Week as part of Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017-2018 at Musee Galliera on July 4, 2017 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
19Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Chanel, known as Coco, the French couturier. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
20Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele
Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele attends the Glamour dinner for Patrick Demarchelier as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2014 at Monsieur Bleu restaurant on September 29, 2013 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
21Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Casta attends the Nina Ricci show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2016/2017 on March 5, 2016 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
22Astrid Berges-Frisbey
Astrid Berges-Frisbey attends the Chanel show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019 on October 2, 2018 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
23Isabelle Hupert
Isabelle Hupert attends the 16th Sidaction as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 25, 2018 in Paris, France. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
24Juliette Binoche
Portrait of actress Juliette Binoche. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
