Brigitte Bardot's personal belongings auction nears one million euros Her iconic ballet flats were sold

Straw hats, sunglasses, nightgowns, tableware, and furniture: held on Monday, September 21, 2026, the auction of Brigitte Bardot's personal items met with resounding success. In total, the sale of 285 lots from her various residences brought in nearly €954,000 - twenty times the initial estimate.

Sourced from La Madrague and La Garrigue, her iconic Saint-Tropez properties, as well as her Paris apartment, the late actress's keepsakes and everyday objects sparked immense enthusiasm among collectors and fans alike. The proceeds from the sale will be split between the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, the star's only son, following her passing in December 2025 at the age of 91.

Continuing her commitment

"This sale is the logical continuation of the one she personally organized in 1987 with her most precious items to establish her foundation. Today, her fight continues through these auctions," Ghyslaine Calmels, Managing Director of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, told AFP at the end of the day.

Having retired from cinema in the 1970s to devote herself entirely to animal welfare, the French screen icon's later years were also marked by controversial political stances. Closely aligned with the far right and fiercely opposed to immigration, she was convicted five times for inciting racial hatred. Up until her death, she made no secret of her satisfaction with the electoral gains of the National Rally party. Consequently, her public image gradually deteriorated, linking her to a bygone era, even as her work for animal rights endures through her foundation.

Tensions between the foundation and the star's widower

The auction, however, did not enjoy unanimous support among those close to her. Her last husband, Bernard d'Ormale, voiced strong criticism of the initiative to AFP:

"These are personal items," he expressed indignantly. "Why hold this sale? For the animals?" Calling it a "disrespect to Brigitte's memory," he argued that her belongings should have been preserved as part of her legacy, adding that Bardot herself "would not have agreed to this sale." D'Ormale also stated he had not realized the auction would involve such intimate possessions.

For its part, the Foundation rejected these allegations, pointing out that the auction had been approved by the board of directors in June - at a time when D'Ormale himself served as its president. This dispute comes just days after his removal as head of the foundation, a role he had held since the actress's death.

Despite internal quarrels and the complexities of her final years, the resounding success of this auction attests to the enduring fascination Brigitte Bardot commanded. While her image was tarnished over time by her controversial positions, her ultimate crusade for animal protection continues to be funded by the unwavering passion of her admirers.