She wanted to combat the prejudices that stick to the crown of Miss France. In her book “Crown and Prejudices”, (Editions Fayard), Sylvie Tellier decided to tell her story without language. The one who left the general management of the Miss France company, in favor of Alexia Laroche-Joubert, decided to deliver juicy anecdotes and confidences, hitherto kept secret. Something to delight the reader who wants to delve into the life of the former Miss France 2002.
From Geneviève de Fontenay, the lady with the hats, to Valérie Bègue Miss France 2008, including the coronation of Iris Mittenaere as Miss Universe 2016, Sylvie Tellier was always at their side. Today, the former beauty queen has swapped her cape as CEO of Miss France for that of business woman, but she nonetheless remains the honorary president of Miss France. A status which allowed him to chair the jury of Miss France 2024 andelect Eve Gilles. For Marie France, Sylvie Tellier talks about the new Miss France 2024.
Sylvie Tellier: this person she misses the most since leaving Miss France
Marie France: Why did you want to tell your memoirs?
Sylvie Tellier: So, there was no desire to write memoirs. I’m still quite young and I think there’s a bit of a pretentious side to wanting to tell these memoirs. I was more interested in addressing the prejudices that affect women and Miss France. And then, to try to undo them thanks to my personal experience, whether since Miss France, in my life as a woman or in my childhood. I thought it was interesting toanalyze all these prejudices and trying to make them lie in fact.
What do you miss most today about the Miss France competition?
Honestly, I left Miss France because I wanted to take on other challenges. I found that there was an evolution in the competition, in society, in things that I didn’t want to experience. In fact, for example, I consider that Miss France is not a job, that it is truly a gift that the French give us, that it is a life opportunity. And it’s true that I personally wanted to take on other challenges. And then, I remain honorary president of Miss France. I am invited to family reunions. For example, last year I was president of the jury. I remain very close to the new boss called Frédéric Gilbert, who was the producer. So, I want to tell you that I only have the good sides of Miss France left.
Haven’t you missed someone since you left Miss France?
What I miss most, to be perfectly transparent, is my duet with Jean-Pierre. So. Because I love Jean-Pierre Foucault. I had the chance to be by his side for 17 years. And that’s for sure, last year, I didn’t experience it too much. I think so, I will miss this duo with Jean-Pierre.
photo credit: Benjamin Decoin Sylvie Tellier deconstructs the prejudices around the myth of Miss France and her career.
Sylvie Tellier without tongue in cheek: what she thinks of the election of Eve Gille the new Miss France 2024
Still under your presidency, the Miss France competition underwent some changes, why were they necessary?
The Miss France competition is over 100 years old… It needs to evolve at the same time as society. Because even if it is an institution that is sometimes a little outdated, it must remain modern. So it has to evolve. I know that over 17 years, we have changed the competition enormously by introducing two-piece swimsuits, for example. We changed a lot of things. We tried to show that the Misses were young women who wanted to dream, to wear beautiful dresses, but who were also committed girls, who had things to say. In Geneviève de Fontenay’s time, we didn’t know enough about Miss France, I wanted people to get attached to them.
What is your opinion on the controversy over transidentity in Miss pageants?
I think that there is no controversy around transidentity because there are people who suffer and I think that it is an evolution of our society. Afterwards, my opinion, me, on the place of transgender people in competitions… I just expressed some reservations on the fact that trying to put everyone in the same competition while keeping the rules as they exist, is complicated. Since the competition is now open to transgender people, we should perhaps review all these rules regarding surgery because today, cosmetic surgery is prohibited. So, I know that when we have had recourse and we have a sex change, it is not cosmetic surgery and that these are necessary medical procedures. On the other hand, forbidding a young woman from having cosmetic surgery because she will have discomfort, because she is a woman, that is what is perhaps a little more complicated. It’s about bringing everyone together in the same competition with the rules that exist today. Afterwards, I left for two years and I find that when you leave an organization, you must refrain from giving your opinion. So, I wish the new Miss France organization to succeed in evolving and to continue to develop the competition.
What do you think of Miss France 2024 Eve Gilles?
I found that Eve, precisely, represents this modernity. Eve Gilles had a very impactful speech during her election. That’s certainly what made him win. Afterwards, I saw that there had been a lot of controversy since her election, because she had not been the public’s choice, etc. I just want to say, ‘Slowly, she’s a young woman, she’s human. So be careful with criticism because it can all be very hurtful. As I told him, a few hours after his election, ‘Whatever people say about you, you know, you won the crown. So, now, take advantage and try not to listen to everything that is said on the networks.
Sylvie Tellier: her “passionate” relationship with Geneviève de Fontenay
Among the Miss France, which one do you have the most affinity with?
So, I don’t have a Miss France with whom I have more affinity. As I explain in the book, I am very admiring of the journey of the 17 Miss France that I accompanied. They are all a different personality, but they all have one thing in common which commands admiration, they have launched a kind of crazy bet which is to submit to the vote of the viewers. They dared to say, OK, we are committed women, we have ambition, we want to be a doctor, we want to be a TV presenter, we want to be a content creator… But we also want to take on this challenge before giving up. in our somewhat predefined professional life. But obviously, I wrote in my book that I have more affinities with some than with others. Besides, I apologize to some also, because sometimes, I could be clumsy with her sometimes.
What are your relations today with Cindy Fabre?
Cindy Fabre unfollowed me on social networks. And I tell a very, very funny anecdote in my book where it’s Maëva Coucke (Miss France 2018) which makes me realize that she unfollowed me on the networks. And that I do the same because I want to stay modern (laughs).
And you also have a sentence to evoke a chapter which is “The good Geneviève against the evil Sylvie”. Did you suffer from this comparison?
Oh, of course, of course. That’s why I made a whole chapter about it. There were shortcuts that were made at that time that hurt me. It has often been said that I replaced Geneviève de Fontenay. That’s why I wanted to tell what really happened. I worked for 5 years with Geneviève. I succeeded his son as general manager of the Miss France company. This is what created the disagreement that I had with Xavier de Fontenay at the time. But I say in my book that I have enormous admiration for Geneviève. This book is also a dedication to Geneviève. It was to tell her that I have always respected her, that she is an icon and that she is a woman who has meant a lot in my life. With Geneviève, I had a very passionate relationship, in fact. We did some great things together. We both succeeded, thanks to her knowledge, her mastery of Miss France and my respect for the institution, in really making this competition evolve.
When you were CEO, you had to deal with the Valérie Bègue photo scandal, what impact did that have on you?
It teaches us how to manage crises. It’s true that I’ve done a lot of crisis management in 20 years because we’ve had a lot of them.
photo credit: shutterstock Sylvie Tellier, ex-Miss France 2002, experienced ups and downs as director of Miss France.
Sylvie Tellier: the former general director of Miss France rejects prejudices to be an accomplished mother and businesswoman
In your book, you talk about your life as a mother: has being a mother and head of Miss France been a challenge?
Yes, but it’s like all women, in fact. You know, as long as you enjoy your job, you have ambition. It’s always complicated, because we have a mental load which is quite significant, and we also live with the guilt of leaving our children, of missing moments… But I also consider that children whose mothers are happy at work, are happy. And then it makes a nice model of the value of work and commitment. It’s nice.
Is Margaux (her daughter) interested in beauty pageants? If so, would you let her participate in Miss France?
She’s 10 years old, so… She watches Miss France like everyone else, but she’s not particularly interested in beauty contests. I would tell him it’s not easy. Especially if her mother was Miss France, because, automatically, she will have additional pressure. But if she wants to do it, of course, I will accompany him. And then, frankly, there are worse things in life than wanting to be Miss France.
What will you do during the Miss France 2025 evening?
This year will be the first year where I will be either on my couch or in the audience with my children.
