The daughter of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, Charlotte Gainsbourg won the genetic lottery, but she doesn’t rub it in. Often showing up to events with barely brushed hair and no makeup on, she’s a walking antithesis to the immaculately styled, bronzed, and polished celebrities who’ve overrun today’s red carpets. A longtime Balenciaga face, Gainsbourg frequently wears Nicolas Ghesquière, but it’s obvious from her simple, relaxed outfits — usually just a cocktail dress for formal events, or beat-up jeans, work boots, and a jacket for everything else — that she dresses herself and doesn’t employ a stylist. Isn’t it ironic when the women who try the least look the best?
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May 17, 2017Where: At the premiere of 'Ismael's Ghosts' during the 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival. Photo: 2017 Getty Images
February 10, 2015Where: At the premiere of 'Every Thing Will Be Fine' during the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin. Photo: P...February 10, 2015Where: At the premiere of 'Every Thing Will Be Fine' during the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
February 5, 2015Where: At Louis Vuitton 'Series 2' The Exhibition in Los Angeles. Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images
December 1, 2014Where: At the British Fashion Awards in London. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
November 7, 2014Where: At the Louis Vuitton Monogram celebration at Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
September 7, 2014Where: At the premiere of 'Samba' during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images
September 1, 2014Where: At the premiere of 'Nymphomaniac: Volume 2 - Directors Cut' during the 71st Venice Film Festival. Photo: Pascal Le Segr...September 1, 2014Where: At the premiere of 'Nymphomaniac: Volume 2 - Directors Cut' during the 71st Venice Film Festival. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
August 30, 2014Where: At the premiere of 'Three Hearts' ('3 Coeurs') during the 71st Venice Film Festival. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
March 13, 2014Where: At the screening of 'Nymphomaniac: Volume I' at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
June 27, 2012Where: Performing at the Veranos de la Villa Festival in Madrid, Spain. Photo: ALBERTO MARTIN
March 7, 2012Where: At the "Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs: The Exhibition" during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/Wir...March 7, 2012Where: At the "Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs: The Exhibition" during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
March 1, 2012Where: At the Balenciaga fall 2013 runway show during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Splash News/Corbis
February 18, 2012Where: At the closing ceremony of the Berlin international Film Festival.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
February 9, 2012Where: At the Les Adieux De La Reine premiere during the Berlin international Film Festival.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty I...February 9, 2012Where: At the Les Adieux De La Reine premiere during the Berlin international Film Festival.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
October 3, 2011Where: At the New York Film Festival premiere of Melancholia.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
September 29, 2011Where: At the Balenciaga spring 2012 runway show during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
May 18, 2011Where: At the Melancholia premiere during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
May 12, 2011Where: At the Melancholia photocall during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage
September 30, 2010Where: At the Balenciaga spring 2011 runway show during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images
July 8, 2010Where: At the inauguration of the Serge Gainsbourg Garden in Paris, France.
July 4, 2010Where: Performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland.
Photo: The Image Gate/Getty Images
June 25, 2010Where: At the premiere of L'arbre, in Paris. Photo: Trago/Getty Images
May 23, 2010Where: With Gabriel Gotting and Morgana Davies at the premiere of The Tree, during the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Venturelli/Wire...May 23, 2010Where: With Gabriel Gotting and Morgana Davies at the premiere of The Tree, during the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Venturelli/WireImage
May 23, 2010Where: At the photocall for The Tree, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Venturelli/WireImage
May 21, 2010Where: At the Canal+TV show Le Grand Journal, at the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images)
May 3, 2010Where: With Nicholas Ghesquierre at the "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity" gala, at the Metropolitan Mus... May 3, 2010Where: With Nicholas Ghesquierre at the "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity" gala, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
March 6, 2010Where: Performing at Les Victoires de La Musique.
Photo: Tony Barson/WireImage
March 4, 2010Where: At the Balenciaga fall 2010 runway show, during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
February 27, 2010Where: At the Cesar Film Awards.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
January 26, 2010Where: At the Chanel Haute Couture runway show, during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Photo by Eric Ryan/Getty Images
December 3, 2009Where: With Romain Duris and Jean-Hugues Anglade at the Persecution premiere, in Paris.
Photo: Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue...December 3, 2009Where: With Romain Duris and Jean-Hugues Anglade at the Persecution premiere, in Paris.
Photo: Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue/Corbis
November 23, 2009Where: With Mayor Bertrand Delanoe at the "Champs-Elysees Christmas Lights Switch-On."
Photo: Dominique Charriau/Wir...November 23, 2009Where: With Mayor Bertrand Delanoe at the "Champs-Elysees Christmas Lights Switch-On."
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
May 24, 2009Where: With Yvan Attal at the Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky premiere, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Dominique Cha...May 24, 2009Where: With Yvan Attal at the Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky premiere, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
May 18, 2009Where: With Yvan Attal at the Antichrist premiere, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Stephane Reix/For Picture/Corbis
February 27, 2009Where: With Yvan Attal at the Cesar Film Awards.
Photo: Julien Hekimian/Getty Images
July 1, 2008Where: At the Chanel Haute Couture runway show, during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Tony Barson/WireImage
June 30, 2008Where: At the Giorgio Armani Haute Couture runway show, during Paris Fashion Week.
Photo: Francois G. Durand/WireImage
June 8, 2008Where: With Yvan Attal at Roland Garros. Photo: BENAINOUS/HOUNSFIELD/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
May 5, 2008Where: With Jennifer Connolly at the the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute annual gala.
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Imag...May 5, 2008Where: With Jennifer Connolly at the the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute annual gala.
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
December 17, 2007Where: At the second edition of Raimu de la comedie.
Photo: Dominique Charriau/WireImage
September 4, 2007Where: At the screening of I'm Not There, during the Venice International Film Festival.
Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Imag...September 4, 2007Where: At the screening of I'm Not There, during the Venice International Film Festival.
Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images
June 10, 2007Where: At the Roland Garros Tournament in Paris.
Photo: Pierre HOUNSFIELD/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
May 19, 2007Where: Performing for the FRANCE2 television show, Tenue de soiree, live from Cannes.
Photo: Tony Barson/WireImage
May 7, 2007Where: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit gala, "Poiret: King Of Fashion."
Photo: Evan Agostini/G...May 7, 2007Where: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit gala, "Poiret: King Of Fashion."
Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images
May 2, 2007Where: At the premiere of Golden Door, during the Tribeca Film Festival.
Photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
March 5, 2007Where: At the premiere of Golden Door in Paris. Photo: Lorenzo Santini/WireImage
September 9, 2006Where: Arriving at the premiere of Nuovomondo, during the International Venice Film Festival.
Photo: Joe Cole/WireImage
May 18, 2006Where: With William Dafoe at the Antichrist photocall, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images
May 1, 2006Where: With Nicolas Ghesquiere at the "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion," Costume Institute gala,... May 1, 2006Where: With Nicolas Ghesquiere at the "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion," Costume Institute gala, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
April 30, 2006Where: At the opening of Palazzo Grassi. Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
May 11, 2005Where: With Andre Dussollier and Dominik Moll at the premiere of Lemming, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Daniele Venturell...May 11, 2005Where: With Andre Dussollier and Dominik Moll at the premiere of Lemming, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
October 19, 2004Where: With Yvan Ittal at the premiere of Un long dimanche de fiancailles (A Very Long Engagement), in Paris. Photo: Tony Barso...October 19, 2004Where: With Yvan Ittal at the premiere of Un long dimanche de fiancailles (A Very Long Engagement), in Paris. Photo: Tony Barson/WireImage
September 5, 2003Where: At the photocall for 21 Grams, during the Venice Film Festival.
Photo: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
May 14, 2001Where: At the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images
May 13, 2001Where: With Yvan Attal at the screening of The Man Who Wasn't There, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Cardinale-Robert/Sygma...May 13, 2001Where: With Yvan Attal at the screening of The Man Who Wasn't There, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Cardinale-Robert/Sygma/Corbis
May 11, 2001Where: With Yvan Attal at the screening of Apocalypse Now Redux. Photo: Cardinale-Robert/Sygma/Corbis
May 9, 2001Where: At the Moulin Rouge premiere, during the Cannes Film Festival.
Photo: Tony Barson/WireImage
February 19, 2000Where: with Jane Birkin at the Cesar Awards.
Photo: BARIL/RONCEN/CORBIS KIPA
March 6, 1999Where: At the Cesar Awards.
Photo: Jeremy Bembaron/Sygma/Corbis
January 1, 1994Where: With Yvan Attal and Jean-Claude Brialy at the evening Molieres, in Paris.
Photo: Pool BENAINOUS/SCORCELLETTI/Gamma-Rapho ...January 1, 1994Where: With Yvan Attal and Jean-Claude Brialy at the evening Molieres, in Paris.
Photo: Pool BENAINOUS/SCORCELLETTI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Getty Images
January 1, 1994Where: At a rehearsal of David Mamet's play Oleanna.
Photo: Eric Robert/Sygma/Corbis
February 27, 1986Where: With Kate Barry, Jane Birkin, and Serge Gainsbourg at the Cesar Awards. Photo: PAT/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Circa 1986Where: With Serge Gainsbourg in Charlotte Forever.
Photo: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
Circa 1973Where: With Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin in a family photo, taken in France.
Photo: BOTTI/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
August 1, 1972Where: With Serge Gainsbourg, Kate Barry, and Jane Birkin on holiday in St. Tropez.
Photo: James Andanson/Sygma/Corbis
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