Diva Latina, Arielle Dombasle’s latest album came out last Monday. Meanwhile, my nine-year-old daughters and I have been YouTubing her promotional material for weeks. No doubt, Arielle’s broad and infectious appeal comes from her exuberant talent:
Diva Latina, Arielle Dombasle’s latest album came out last Monday. Meanwhile, my nine-year-old daughters and I have been YouTubing her promotional material for weeks. No doubt, Arielle’s broad and infectious appeal comes from her exuberant talent: camped up by her sense of theatre, bodilicious silhouette and use of colour.
In the clip for Porque Te Vas, Arielle wears Jean Paul Gaultier and manages to switch leading roles – femme fatale and dashing matador – with aplomb. There’s also Arielle’s TV performance of Hasta Siempre, the song glorifying Che Guevara. Fetching in a revolutionary beret, she sports a platinum blond wig and is surrounded by five Arielle doppelgangers. However, rather than brandishing bulky khaki uniforms, they opt for slinky lamé tops and saucy shorts instead. An alternative take on radical chic? Ya betcha! But then that’s very Arielle who dares to be different as well as being as delightful in person as she is in public.
By pure chance, Arielle was one of the first people I met in Paris. A book party, the occasion seemed très left bank, très ‘intello’ until she arrived. Being a famous French actress, I obviously recognised her from Pauline à La Plage and other films. Still, that night, Arielle resembled a fairy-like vision. Dressed in white with a blonde halo of hair, she personified graciously sweet – enhanced by the softest baby blues and welcoming, warm voice. Her boyfriend stood nearby. Since he was extremely handsome with white shirt unbuttoned to his navel; I presumed he was one of those sexy French actors. Only to quickly discover that he was Bernard-Henri Lévy (aka BHL) one of France’s most prominent philosophers! This often makes me smile. But not as much as the nobly born Arielle whose inner elegance stems from her joie-de-vivre and exquisite manners.
Â
Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni is a Paris-based British journalist who covers fashion and lifestyle as well as being the author of Sam Spiegel – The Biography of A Hollywood Legend, Understanding Chic, an essay from the Paris Was Ours anthology and soon-to-be released Chanel book, for Assouline's fashion series.
Robert Beck is former New Yorker currently based in Paris. Also known as C.J. Rabbitt, he is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including The Tale of Rabbitt in Paradis, Un Lapin à Paris and the soon-to-be-published A Bunny in the Ballet.
