Gina Lollobrigida: The 1960s Beauty Icon Nicknamed 'The Bust' (37 Photos)

Born on July 4, 1927, into a large, impoverished family, Gina Lollobrigida endured a difficult childhood marked by constant hardship. Yet from an early age, she showed a passion for drawing and singing. By her teens, her bold, sultry beauty immediately set her apart. She worked as a model and took small film roles before competing in the 1947 Miss Italy pageant. Placing third, she launched what would become a meteoric career.





By the early 1960s, Luigina—better known as Gina—Lollobrigida was one of Europe's reigning silver screen sirens and an international sex symbol, rivaled on the global stage only by France's Brigitte Bardot and fellow Italian Sophia Loren.







Upon learning that "lollo" was French slang for a generous bust, she embraced it as a sign, earning the iconic nickname "La Lollo." The rivalry between Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren was famously dubbed the "Battle of the Bosoms" by the Italian press, as fans endlessly debated which curvaceous star possessed more beauty and talent.

When Loren famously implied that her competitor's enviable chest was the result of silicone, an outraged Lollobrigida challenged her to a public strip-off so the audience could judge for themselves. The dispute was never officially settled.