Since her remarkable appearance in Roger Vadim’s Vice and Virtue in 1962, Catherine Deneuve—who became an iconic muse to Jacques Demy—has never stopped fascinating the world of cinema, fashion, and photography. Her blondness, her cold beauty, and her mysterious aura have made her a French actress par excellence; perhaps the quintessential Parisienne. Vogue takes a look back at some of her greatest roles.
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The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (dir. Jacques Demy, 1964)
Jacques Demy’s sublime meditation on lost love has not aged a day. A true feast for the eyes from the first shot to the last, it features an explosion of rich, tangy colors in the shop fronts, wallpapers, and perfect outfits worn by a celestial Catherine Deneuve. She plays the daughter of an umbrella shop owner whose boyfriend (Nino Castelnuovo) is sent to fight in Algeria. Through sung dialogue and music that gently tugs at the heartstrings, she longs for his return while imagining their future together.
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Belle de Jour (dir. Luis Buñuel, 1967)
Here, Deneuve plays Séverine, the wife of a medical intern, who—wanting to fulfill her fantasies—dabbles in sex work. Don’t miss her chic wardrobe by Yves Saint Laurent (with an assist from Roger Vivier).
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The Young Girls of Rochefort (dir. Jacques Demy, 1967)
“Nous sommes des soeurs jumelles, nées sous le signe du Gémeaux…” A mythical song, an iconic duo of actresses, a sunny atmosphere. The Young Girls of Rochefort is one of those cult comedies that enchants generation after generation. Led by Deneuve and her sister Françoise Dorléac, the film remains a key reference in its genre, inspiring filmmakers worldwide, inspiring efforts like Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning La La Land.
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Mississippi Mermaid (dir. François Truffaut, 1969)
This is the story of an ordinary man who meets a woman of irresistible charm through a matrimonial ad. The two lovers plan to meet in Réunion, where Louis is an entrepreneur. When Julie arrives by the Mississippi steamer, she turns out to be completely different from the woman he thought he was meeting. In this film by François Truffaut, Jean-Paul Belmondo is unlike we’ve ever seen him before, sharing the screen with Deneuve as a venomous creature with a thousand mysteries.
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Manon Garrigues