The word beauty comes from the old French word beauté. In French the phrase ‘une beauté’ means a beautiful young woman, but beauty is so much more than that. The online dictionary via google says: “beauty is a combination of qualities such as shape, color or form that pleases the aesthetic senses especially the site. The best feature or advantage of something. Its synonymous with a blessing, strength, a good thing, strong, virtue, merit or a benefit”. Beauty as the cliché goes is in the eye of the beholder and no its not surprising to me that our word beauty goes back to the French. The French seem to major in beauty, and its true of French women in particular. Et voilá, here is my list of the most beautiful Parisian women, according to me.
Partricia Barbizet
Why: She’s the only French female on Fortune’s most important Global 50. She’s CEO of Christie’s and Exec. Director of Artémis as well as Vice-Chair of PPR, François Pinault’s company which owns Gucci, Fnac and a myriad of other luxury goods companies.
From: Paris
Lives: Paris
Born: April 17
Erica Berman
Why: The beauty she creates everyday in her business Haven in Paris and on her blog HiP Paris Blog and in her homes.
From: Lexington, MA
Lives: Montmartre & Maine
Born: Sept. 5th
Julie Delpy
Why: Quirky, cute and gorgeous. We loved her in the Before Sunset series and two of the films she directed, 2 days in New York & 2 Days in Paris.
From: Paris
Lives: Los Angeles & New York
Born: Dec. 21st
“I have no problem with crudeness. I never go overboard because I don’t want to be tacky, but I think a certain crudeness is funny. I’ve always been like that.” Julie Delpy
Caroline de Maigret
Why: Supermodel with a music company who is aging beautifully and remaining rock – n – roll hip. We loved her book, ‘How to be Parisian Wherever You Are’
From: Neuilly-sur-Seine (suburb of Paris)
Lives: Paris
Born: Feb 18th
Kasia Dietz
Why: She was a model for heavens sake, she met her charming Italian husband by bumping into him on a NYC street. She designs gorgeous everyday simple handbags.
From: NYC, USA
Lives: Paris
Born: July 29th
Garance Doré
Why: A brilliant street photographer and illustrator. http://www.garancedore.fr/
From: Ajaccio, Corsica
Lives: Paris
Born: May 1st
“Passion is healthy.” Garance Doré
Aurelie Filipeti
Why: She’s a novelist and the Cabinet Minister for Culture and Communications and a member of the National Assembly…we’re impressed!
From: Umbria, Italy
Lives: Paris
Born: June 17th
photo via Vogue
Ines de la Fressange
Why: YSL’s muse and talented designer in her own right who looks incredible at age nearly 58!
From: Gassin, France (In the Var region)
Lives: Left Bank, Paris
Born: Aug. 11th
“Matching shoes and bags immediately age you by 10 years.” Ines de la Fressange
Isabella Huppert
Why: Best French Actress we know.
From: Ville d’Avray, France
Lives: Paris
Born: March 16th
Christine Lagarde
Head of the International Monetary Fund. Who said women make better politicians than men? C’est vrai! Plus we love her silver hair, so chic.
From: Paris
Lives: Washington DC
“When my father passed away and then when later on I gave birth, those are sort of groundbreaking experiences that put everything else into perspective.” Christine Lagarde
Mélanie Laurent
Why: Did you ever see the movie Beginners….she was incredible. She just might be the most naturally beautiful French fille and mom alive.
From: Paris
Lives: Paris
Born: Feb 21st
Maeggie Maillet
Why: Beautiful in form and deed, a true friend.
From: Switzerland
Lives: Montmartre, Paris
Vanessa Paradis
Why: She sings, she acts, she’s ridiculously sexy and she handled being dumped by Johnny Depp with elegance.
From: Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (a suburb of Paris)
Lives: Paris & Los Angeles
Born: Dec. 22nd
“Love is the strongest and the most fragile thing we have in life.” Vanessa Paradis
Audrey Tatou
Why: We’ve still not gotten over Amelie.
From: Montluçon, France
Lives: Paris
Born: Aug. 9th
via Reuters