Before becoming the patroness of the Miss France contest, Geneviève de Fontenay also tried her hand at modeling. This is what this vintage photo says, on which the personality, who died on August 1, 2023, appears in a swimsuit.
She was recognizable among a thousand… On Tuesday 1er August 2023, Geneviève de Fontenay has passed away at the age of 90 at his home in Saint-Cloud, leaving forever the memory of his big hat, his black and white uniform and his outspokenness. While she never appreciated seeing the contenders for the crown of Miss France in undress, she herself posed in a swimsuit during her youth.
Geneviève de Fontenay in a swimsuit
Always impeccable, the lady with the hat had her hour of glory in the world of fashion and especially on the catwalks. In the 1950s, Geneviève de Fontenay sometimes took on the role of model, especially for the Balenciaga brand. In 1954, she was elected Miss Carnacbefore winning the title of Miss Elegance in 1957. It was then that she met Louis Poirot, head of the Miss France committee since the post-war period, who would become her husband. As the book tells The Secret Life of Genevieve, he gives her a chance and makes her the face of his galas. “Perched on high heels, bare shoulders, neck adorned with jewels and tight waist, Geneviève strolls, strikes a pose in front of customers, while her companion, at the microphone, presents the creations.“, explains journalist Amel Brahmi.
From this period, we will remember a photo: that of the historical figure of the Miss France contest posing in low-cut one-piece swimsuit, in the middle of two other models. The one who qualified, years later, the candidates in bikinis as“exhibitionists”also went through the ordeal of the jersey there to succeed and become the emblematic character that will remain etched in our memories.