Brigitte Bardot Celebrates Her 80th Birthday in Private
With friends and family at her home on the French Riviera
Yesterday saw screen siren and French icon Brigitte Bardot turn 80 and unlike the Bardot of the 50's and 60's she choose to stay out of the limelight and keep her celebrations private in her home in Saint Tropez.
Known for her hour glass figure, seductive pout and publicly sexual and sensual behaviour she has left many men weak at the knees and a generation of liberated young women in her wake. Ending her on screen career before she was even 40 meant that her reputation and iconic status was cemented in to French and World history. Now at 80 she is an avid animal activist and pours much of her time, money and energy into her foundation which focuses on animal rights.
Bardot announced on Europe 1 radio this week that rather than gifts she would ask her fans "to go to the nearest animal shelter and adopt a little cat or dog, or sponsor it" and also "to eat less meat." She chose to celebrate this landmark birthday with small gathering in her home with friends, members of her foundation and her current husband Bernard d'Ormale.
An inspiration not only to her public and her fans Bardot has long been both a 'muse' and a friend to many fashion designers and so we should not be surprised that it has been reported that French designer Karl Lagerfeld sent her a "monumental" basket of orchids along with an "extremely big" donation to the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.
"You are wonderful! You are mad! An avalanche of flowers this morning, an avalanche of happiness. I love you," Bardot tweeted about Lagerfeld's birthday gift.
To read more about her foundation or to make a donation then visit the website.
