For decades, Brigitte Bardot has fought daily for the defense of animals. If she is now at the head of her own foundation, she found herself in a lot of trouble when this entity was created. “I started very modestly in 1986 at ‘La Madrague’, with a lawyer from Saint-Tropez and a friend” recalled the actress during a rare interview with journalist Caroline Pigozzi from Paris Match.
In his book titled “Why them: they made our time” to appear on November 18, the journalist recalls that Brigitte Bardot had to pay 3 million francs to obtain the status of foundation: “However, I was unable to raise such a sum. Little attached to money, having squandered the majority of my star earnings, I no longer had any income. ” had confessed the actress.
Determined to create this foundation to protect animals, the actress then made a radical decision: “I settled for two months in the Saint-Tropez market to sell my souvenirs, bracelets, necklaces, brought back from Brazil, Mexico, photos I autographed, my petticoats, my hats…” she revealed before adding: “In the process, I auctioned in Paris, everything I owned of value: the precious jewelry that my husband Gunter Sachs had given me, my wedding dress with Vadim, silverware, furniture and even my guitar ”.
An extraordinary sale during which she said the famous phrase: “I gave my youth and my beauty to men, now I give my wisdom and experience to animals.” Brigitte Bardot also ceded her country house in Bazoches to her foundation and today lives off the copyrights of her books.
Eleanor de la Fontaine