Beauty and the best French food at Sofitel’s ‘BB Forever’ exhibit

MANILA, Philippines - She was the original French beauty icon. The artists’ muse and the photographers’ model, she is immortalized in canvases and pictures that continue to mesmerize. The women wanted to be her and the men, well, they just wanted her. But of course, we can only be referring to Brigitte Bardot or BB whose legendary beauty has inspired a smorgasbord of glorious French food offered in conjunction with the “BB Forever — Brigitte Bardot, la legende” exhibit ongoing until Sept. 10 at Le Bar of Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

Walking through the exhibit, you’ll unravel BB’s colorful life and even more colorful love life. But she is quick to confess she has always been faithful — to love, that is.  She loved men as much as she loved life. French journalist Henry-Jean Servat writes that BB preferred men who were dark-haired,  tanned, slim, and attractive. And she added them to her growing collection and happily showed them off. Needless to say, the ebullient BB was free as a butterfly, fluttering from one love to another. “While she was married to Roger Vadim, Brigitte fell in love with Jean-Louis Trintignant in a convertible on the port of Saint-Tropez, then with Raf Vallone, followed by Gilbert Becaud, Sacha Distel, Jacques Charrier, Sami Frey, Gunther Sachs and Warren Beatty …. Proud, wild and free, she moved from one pair of arms to the next, in search of love and full of desire. Brigitte loved the same way she tanned. Looking directly into the sun and shadows,” Servat relates.

She lit up the silver screen with her dazzling beauty (she was hailed as the French Marilyn Monroe) and became the sex symbol of the ’50s (all the movies she starred in were censored for audiences under 18 years old in France). But more than a blond (by the way, she was originally a brunette) sex bomb, she was the symbol of women’s liberation in her time.

And now, as a tribute to a French icon who, according to French President Charles de Gaulle, has done more for French exports than the whole Renault car industry, Sofitel Luxury Hotels is touring for the first time in Asia an exclusive collection of some 30 BB snapshots that show slices of her colorful showbiz career (of course, even more colorful was the life she lived off-cam). Did you know that she refused to go to Hollywood so Hollywood went to her and she starred with Hollywood greats like Kirk Douglas, Stephen Boyd, Anthony Perkins, and Sean Connery?

 â€œâ€˜BB Forever — Brigitte Bardot, la légende’ is in line with Sofitel’s desire to represent French elegance and culture across the world. Her exhibition reflects three of Sofitel’s pillars of French elegance — design and innovation; gastronomy and wine, and culture and events,” notes Sofitel Philippine Plaza general manager Adam Laker.

“She’s very glamorous, she’s very French,” gushes Damien Marchenay, Sofitel Philippine Plaza director of food and beverage and a certified BB fan.

On opening night of the exhibit, BB was undeniably the life of the party though she wasn’t there. Guests sipped Brigitte Bardot martini — a perky blend of apple juice, grape juice, vodka, and lemon poured from a BB-curvy ice sculpture. “After a few drinks, I started getting creative and I came up with the BB martini,” says a starry-eyed Damien who concocted this scintillating cocktail.

The innovative Eric Costille, Sofitel regional executive chef for Asia Pacific and Sofitel Philippine Plaza executive chef, and his team of master chefs created a menu inspired by Saint-Tropez, where Brigitte spent her charmed childhood and which is now the summer playground of Europe’s rich. “Saint-Tropez is very near Italy,” chef Eric tells us. “We prepared some pass-around mozzarella onion pizza, Parmesan risotto, sea bass fillet in lemon butter, beef medallions mushroom, steamed dim sum with French fillings, cold and hot canapés, cheeses and cold cuts, pastries, cupcakes, macaroons (what could be more French than these vari-colored sinful confections?), and hand-made jewelry pralines.”

Jewelry pralines? Oui, a whole jewelry box of dark, white, milk chocolates fashioned into little rings and pearls and bling-blings by Sofitel’s fine team of chocolate artisans as well as a humongous chocolate shoe filled with big white chocolate coconut balls. Award-winning chocolatier Tweet Obsequio was expertly churning out piece after miniature piece of jewelry chocolate all through the night. As a sweet memento, guests went home with little boxes containing a trio of miniature Eiffel Tower chocolates.

In line with the exhibit, Galette at Le Bar is offering an afternoon high tea featuring Saint-Tropez-inspired desserts at P700+++ and if served with Billecart Salmon Champagne, at P1,200 + + +. Saint-Tropez-inspired cocktails can be enjoyed at Spiral’s La Veranda and Le Bar for the duration of the exhibit.

Spicing up the food offerings on opening night was the 21-piece Brigitte Bardot-inspired collection by Albert Andrada in the colors of Lancôme’s new Hypnôse palettes — picture smoky eyes and nude lips, BB’s signature look.

 As rich and luscious as the culinary offerings were Andrada’s creations in French lace, printed taffeta, textured jerseys, and tulle embellished with Swarovski components. 

“BB has always inspired me, especially when I was starting out as a designer,” says Andrada. “What inspires me most about her is her grace, elegance, and unique style, which makes her a standout.  I wanted to interpret Brigitte Bardot as an eternal style icon, making her relevant until today.”

For the show, L’Oréal brand ambassador Philippe Tordjman recreated the hairstyles BB is famous for: beehive hair and wind-blown, tousled ’do. 

Completing the evening’s BB vibe was the  soothing musical soiree by DJ Mia Ayesa with her remix of Brigitte Bardot’s tunes.

So, how’s BB today?

Proud and wrinkly at 79, this beauty icon of the ’50s has aged naturally, sans Botox or cosmetic surgery, and lives happily and quietly in Saint-Tropez with her husband Bernard d’Ormale and her animal friends which include horses, a donkey, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cats. An animal rights activist, she now devotes her precious time to her Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals.

“She wrote a nice letter in French to Sofitel and the translation says she was an actress for 40 years and now, she’s fully devoted to animal protection, fighting every day to improve their conditions. She asks visitors to her exhibit not to be indifferent and to support animal rights as much as they can,” Damien shares.

Now, that’s what you call true beauty. Surely, BB is beyond beautiful.

So, get ready to be regaled with a good show and good food at Sofitel. Oui!

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For more details on “BB Forever — Brigitte Bardot, la legende,” call Le Bar at 551-5555 or e-mail at h6308@sofitel.com; Facebook and Instagram: Sofitel Manila; twitter: #Sofitel Manila.