A family court in New York is the slated venue today for a trial centered on child support for a five-year-old boy fathered by a man from one of the world’s wealthiest families and with a mother who, at 46, still commands top dollar for her modeling work.
Facially, it might otherwise seem like nothing more than a typical dispute between couples concerning a final order of support for their child, except for the dollar figures associated with it.
Those are, in a word, impressive. The child is the son of Francois-Henri Pinault, the CEO of the French business enterprise that owns the Yves St. Laurent and Gucci fashion lines. Pinault’s family has an estimated net worth of close to $12 billion, and he personally earns several million a year.
The boy’s mother is longtime fashion model Linda Evangelista, who, at a relatively advanced age for women deemed “super models,” still pulls in hefty fees for her media and advertising work.
There is no divorce. The couple was never married, and the court date is all about a financial settlement concerning their son. In prior court appearances, Evangelista argued for approximately $46,000 per month in expenses for, among other things, gun-carrying security guards and drivers and a 24/7 nanny.
Pinault is currently married to actress Salma Hayek, and has put a $12 million home in trust for the couple’s young daughter. He reportedly pays about $50,000 each month for taxes and upkeep on the property, and Evangelista has argued that her son merits a comparable lifestyle to that of his half-sibling.
A source close to Pinault says that Pinault and Evangelista “haven’t budged in any way.”
Source: New York Post, “Linda Evangelista and Salma Hayek’s hubby ready to rumble in child support trial,” May 1, 2012