Up on the roof with Brigitte Bardot

Once a ballerina, always a ballerina

Chris Wild

1952

Credit: Walter Carone/ParisMatch/Scoop

Brigitte Bardot was 18 years old when these pictures were taken in 1952. She had excelled in dance as a child and won a place at the Conservatoire de Paris, where she was trained in classical French ballet. Her classmates christened her "Bichette," or "Little Doe."Her modeling career began in 1947. By 1952 she had already graced the cover of ELLE magazine. That year was pivotal for Bardot. It saw her cinema acting debut as well as her wedding to director Roger Vadim, whom she met while babysitting. She would later divorce Vadim and marry again three times.

Credit: Walter Carone/ParisMatch/Scoop

Credit: Walter Carone/ParisMatch/Scoop

Credit: Walter Carone/ParisMatch/Scoop

Credit: Walter Carone/ParisMatch/Scoop