The ugly past behind Salma Hayek and Linda Evangelista's happily blended family: Supermodel took fashion tycoon François-Henri Pinault to court after she fell pregnant following whirlwind romance
Linda Evangelista and her ex François-Henri Pinault were the image of harmonious co-parents as they beamed for photos at their son's high school graduation this week - in a stark contrast of to their bitter court battle 13 years ago.
The luxury retailing giant heir, 63, has four children, one of whom he shares with the supermodel after a brief relationship in the noughties.
Augustin, 18, is just months older than the businessman's daughter Valentina - who he has with wife Salma Hayek.
While the blended family has been known to get on well now - with the former partners even enjoying Thanksgiving together - only years earlier, a child support feuds saw familial tensions brewing.
In a 2012 trial, Pinault admitted he had broken up with the Linda after discovering she was pregnant four months into their relationship. 'I didn't even know her,' he said.
Meanwhile, Evangelista reportedly asked for a staggering $46,000 a month for their son's care. At the time, her lawyer also claimed the Frenchman, who has an estimated net worth of $17.5 billion, had demanded the supermodel have an abortion as he did not want the child.
The pair eventually come to an agreement in their battle over Augustin - then five - over the phone.
The surprise settlement, revealed by a source to The New York Post, came three days into the court scrap that revealed some of the uglier claims about the former couple's four-month relationship.
It is not clear whether Evangelista won the hefty sum he expected Pinault to pay for their child, with the source only claiming he had 'gone a long way toward meeting those original demands'.
During the court battle, her lawyer William Beslow had also argued that 'Augie' deserves a lifestyle similar to that of Pinault's daughter with Hayek, born just months after his son.
As chief executive of PPR, the conglomerate that owns Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Bottega Veneta, at the time, he was earning some $5million a year.
He would also have been spending $50,000 a month just on the taxes, upkeep and loan payments for the $12million Los Angeles home he put in trust for his daughter, Valentina, the Post reported.
And taking the witness stand, he revealed he spent a staggering $260,000 on gifts for himself in 2010 - but could not remember what he had bought his son or how much he had spent on him.
Despite his wealth, Pinault had criticised Evangelista for her outlandish demands, suggesting the $46,000 a month is in fact for 'mom support'.
She had maintained she was modelling or working on her image at all hours of the day.
The seeming rift is a far cry from the warm relations Augustin now appears to share with both his parents and step-mother Salma.
Linda, 60, reunited with François and his wife as they came together to celebrate her son this week.
The supermodel looked every inch the proud mother as she posed with her lookalike son, 18, on his big day.
Taking to Instagram on Monday, she uploaded a slew of snaps which showed Augustin proudly posing with his diploma before celebrating with a personalised cake and enjoying a cigar with his billionaire father.
In one sweet snap, the graduate hugged his stepmother Salma, 58, and mother Linda as they posed alongside his father.
'Then this happened. ♥️✨I'm one proud momma,' she wrote. 'Blessed blessed blessed…'
Linda and François briefly dated from September 2005 until January 2006.
The Kering CEO started dating From Dusk Till Dawn star Salma in April that year, when he was later informed Linda was pregnant with Augustin.
In 2007, Salma and François announced their engagement and welcomed their daughter Valentina in September.
When Augustin was first born, Linda initially kept his paternity a secret - but the truth emerged following their child support dispute.
Linda previously gave an insight into her co-parenting relationship with Salma in an interview with Vogue.
She explained that she spends time with Salma and her ex during the holiday season. However, one Thanksgiving, she was ill and not able to join the festivities.
'I was sick at Thanksgiving. And Salma got on the plane with her daughter, came here, and made Thanksgiving dinner,' she explained.
Linda then humorously revealed she had given Salma an 'eclectic wish list' for what she wanted to eat.
Big family: Salma is stepmom to three of her billionaire husband's children — Francois, 25, Augie, 16, and Mathilde, 21 — and the husband and wife share daughter Valentina, 15
'I wanted her Mexican chicken with truffled potatoes. And she spent the day in the kitchen and cooked it herself. No help.'
'The kids helped her at the end. She made a feast - a beautiful, beautiful meal. I had told her that I wasn't going to have Thanksgiving; I wasn't feeling well. And she said, "Oh yes you are: I am coming." And poof, she was here.'
Linda also opened up about her son and wanting to give him a 'normal upbringing' - despite her celebrity status.
She revealed both she and Augustin sit in the nosebleed seats at events after offers for front row seats at venues at Madison Square Garden dwindled down.
'Now we buy our tickets and we sit with the fans in nosebleed. We're fine with that. I wanted to have a very normal upbringing for my child.'
It seems the family has been enjoying a blended upbringing for years, with Salma in 2021 posting what appeared to be vacation photos featuring Augustin.
He had even made rep carpet appearances alongside his step-mother and half-sister.
Meanwhile, Salma and Linda have made it clear there is no bad blood between them.
In a 2023 Instagram post, Salma gushed about the supermodel's new book - Linda Evangelista Photographed by Steven Meisel - in a video with her husband's ex.
'For all of you who are wondering what to give for a Christmas present, I have a prefect one. This amazing book is the perfect gift for absolutely everyone especially if you like photography or fashion or if you just like my Linda!'
The duo then laughed as they enjoyed a warm hug with one another.
It's not the only time the pair have exchanged kind words on social media. In October, while attending the 2024 Innovator Awards, which pal Penelope Cruz, Linda and Augustin were also at, Salma posted a carousel of photos captioned: 'Penelope & Linda, thank you so much for your magical words, for celebrating me, for loving me, for supporting me, and for being a pillar of strength in my life. @penelopecruzoficial @lindaevangelista.'
Last year, she joined Linda and 38 other A-listers for a legendary Vogue cover - which Salma brand a show of 'sisterhood'.
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