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.
Photo: Getty Images1/8The 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.
Photo: Getty Images2/8Belle 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).
Photo: Getty Images3/8The 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.
Photo: Getty Images4/8Mississippi 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.
Photo: Getty Images5/8Donkey Skin (dir. Jacques Demy, 1970)
“Recette Pour Un Cake D’amour,” “Amour Amour,” “Les Conseils De La Fee Des Lilas”… with its unforgettable songs by Michel Legrand and dress “the color of time,” this film from Demy, adapted from the Perrault fairy tale, remains one of Deneuve’s most enchanting projects.
Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection6/8Lovers Like Us (dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau, 1975)
In this rom-com romp, rebel Nelly (Deneuve) leaves her fiancé and runs away to Caracas, where she meets the charismatic Martin (Yves Montand), a former Parisian perfume creator.
Photo: Getty Images7/8The Last Metro (dir. François Truffaut, 1980)
During World War II, Lucas Steiner (Heinz Bennent), a German Jewish director who had fled to Paris, must go into hiding and leave his wife Marion (Deneuve) in charge of their theater. As she struggles to keep it afloat, she meets Bernard Granger (Gérard Depardieu), an actor determined to resist the occupation. The first on-screen collaboration between Deneuve and Depardieu, The Last Metro won 10 César Awards the year of its release.
Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection8/88 Women (dir. François Ozon, 2002)
In the 1950s, a bourgeois family is preparing to celebrate Christmas when the master of the house is found stabbed in his bed. As a result, the eight women closest to the body—a group played by Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Fanny Ardant, Virginie Ledoyen, Danielle Darrieux, Ludivine Sagnier, and Firmine Richard—all find themselves murder suspects.
