Etienne Toussant Bouvier

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Etienne Toussant Bouvier is a fictional character in the last season of the television series, Designing Women. She was played by actress-singer Sheryl Lee Ralph.

[edit] Showgirl who married Anthony

Etienne was a lead singer and showgirl who worked at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was with the famous Folies Bergere floor show. She met Anthony Bouvier, who had been dealing with a broken engagement, while he was in the audience at one of her shows. During a drunken haze, they married impulsively at the Isle of Capri Wedding Chapel. At first, Anthony was appalled, and did everything possible to annul the marriage, with the help of his friends from Sugarbakers, but however, he later discovered that he had fallen deeply in love with Etienne and was determined to make the marriage work.

Etienne threw herself into being Anthony's wife with a vengeance, but yet she truly adored Anthony. Even though they had their spats, like any other couple, they made up with a passion.

Her parents were divorced, and were often very contentious. They were played by Della Reese and Sherman Hemsley. Etienne and her mother were very much shop-a-holics. She, however, was a very deep person, who made it clear that she was going to learn one word a day. She was also very good at deep back massages, which helped Anthony and his constant backaches.

She got along well with the Sugarbakers group. However, she was considered a she-beast by Bernice Clifton, because she was alternately protective of, and lusting after, Anthony herself. Ironically, she was not mentioned when Anthony made an appearance on the sort-of spin off series of Designing Women, Women of the House, when he made a visit to Congresswoman Suzanne Sugarbaker to help her with a legal issue.