The biggest star at the opening weekend of Club 55 in St. Tropez was Thylane Blondeau, the French fashion model who was celebrating her 13th birthday with her family.
“As I sat down to lunch, my eyes were drawn to an adorable kid walking by, who looked like the reincarnation of the young Bridget Bardot when she was filming ‘And God Created Woman’ — the movie that made Club 55 famous,” a regular told me.
Director Roger Vadim filmed several scenes on the beach there in 1955 and had the restaurant provide lunch for his crew.
Despite looking like Bardot, Blondeau — whose mother is a TV personality and father a soccer player — is described as “the new Kate Moss” on the cover of Jalouse magazine.
“She was sitting at the table where Kate Moss usually sits on her annual visits,” said my Riviera reporter.
When her mother offered to show the girl her 17-page spread in the glossy, Blondeau was overheard saying, “I don’t have to look at it … I was there!”
Already a veteran, Blondeau was just 10 when she appeared on the cover of French Vogue in a low-cut gown and high heels. It is believed the ensuing controversy over the sexualization of young girls greased the skids for Carine Roitfeld, who was soon no longer the editor-in-chief.
According to the article in Jalouse, Thylane’s mother has set strict guidelines on her career — no work on school days, and no work outside France.
The fashionistas in New York will just have to wait.