Linda Evangelista child-support trial begins

When supermodel Linda Evangelista informed her former French flame that she was having his baby, he “suggested she terminate the pregnancy,” her lawyer said Thursday.

That revelation was the first shot in what’s likely to be a contentious court battle as Evangelista tries to shake $46,000 a month in child support — a state record — out of her boy’s billionaire dad, Francois-Henri Pinault.

On the stand, Pinault insisted he was “not involved in the decision” to have the baby but told Evangelisa he would “recognize the baby.”

Asked why he didn’t pay Evangelista a dime in child support for the first years of now 5-year-old Augustin’s life, Pinault answered, “She didn’t ask and I didn’t offer.”

Evangelista came dressed to impress, sashaying into Manhattan Family Court in beige python heels, a black pleated skirt, floral blouse, pricey gold watch, and — naturally — sunglasses.

Not once did she look at Pinault, whose face got increasingly redder as the model’s lawyer, William Beslow, accused him of running away from his responsibilities.

Pinault was already dating his future wife, movie star Salma Hayek, when Evangelista told him she was pregnant, said Beslow.

“She said she would support herself since he made it perfectly clear he had no wish to do so,” said Beslow.

It wasn’t until after Evangelista’s lucrative contract with L’Oreal ended in 2010 that “it became important for her to go to the bullpen and ask for a contribution,” he said.

“She is not looking to piggyback her lifestyle on Mr. Pinault,” Beslow said. “She is looking to continue the lifestyle that Augie’s had.”

Pinault’s lawyer, David Aronson, said he is willing to support Augie — but not Evangelista.

“This is a classic case of someone trying to bootstrap herself into disguised alimony,” he said.

When Aronson called the $46,000-a-month figure “ridiculous,” an agitated Evangelista shook her head angrily and Beslow objected.

“It was never a request,” he said. “This is how a nice person gets her reputation ruined.”

Aronson, however, insisted that figure was included in the list of expenses she gave to Pinault. He said she claimed to have an annual income of $1.8 million in recent years.

Evangelista, 46, who has graced more than 600 magazine magazines during her modeling career, is believed to be worth $8 million.

Pinault, 49, has even more money to burn. He is chief executive of PPR, which owns Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Bottega Veneta. He owns luxury homes in Paris and Los Angeles and is heir to an $11.5 billion family estate that includes the Christie's auctionhouse, the Château-Latour vineyard in Bordeaux and the French soccer team.

Evangelista is also demanding Pinault provide her son a home on par with the $13 million California mansion he put in a trust for his 4-year-old daughter with Hayekhe, Valentina.

Pinault married Hayek in 2009. He also has two children from a previous marriage. He and Evangelista dated for five months before they broke up.