remembering the late jane birkin and her influence on the world of fashion

ACTRESS AND SINGER jane birkin dies aged 76

Jane Birkin, the esteemed English-French singer, and actress, passed away in Paris on July 16, 2023, at the age of 76. While the exact cause of her death remains unknown, Birkin had been in poor health in recent years and had also experienced a stroke in 2021. President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to express his condolences, describing Birkin as a ‘French icon’ and a ‘complete artist’ whose tunes and images ‘will never leave us’.

portrait of Jane Birkin | image via @janebirkinoff (head image by Nicolas Padovani via Wikimedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

Jane Birkin’s rise to fame

Born in London in 1946, Jane Birkin made her mark in the 1960s after relocating to France. Initially, she gained recognition through small but notable film appearances like The Blonde in Blow Up (1966), Penny Lane in Wonderwall (1968), and La piscine (1969). However, it was her passionate and turbulent artistic and personal relationship with the late renowned French musician Serge Gainsbourg that propelled her to stardom. Together, they released the chart-topping song ‘Je T’aime…Moi Non Plus’ (‘I Love You…Me Neither’) in 1969, which garnered international acclaim. The track faced bans in several countries, including the Vatican, due to its explicit and provocative lyrics.

image by Roland Godefroy via Wikimedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license

the story behind the iconic HERMÈS Birkin bag

In addition to her successful singing and acting career, Jane Birkin was an esteemed fashion icon during the vibrant eras of the 1960s and 1970s. However, her influence extended beyond trends and outfits. She became immortalized in the fashion world when her name became synonymous with the legendary Hermès Birkin bag. The genesis of this iconic accessory traces back to an unexpected encounter in 1984. Jane Birkin found herself on a flight from Paris to London, engaging in a conversation with Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas. As a young mother, Birkin expressed her frustration with the lack of a practical yet stylish bag to suit her needs. Dumas swiftly sketched a design for a spacious rectangular holdall, complete with a burnished flap, intricate saddle stitching, and even a designated space for her baby’s bottles. This serendipitous moment marked the birth of the now-iconic Birkin Bag, forever bearing Jane Birkin’s name.

Jane Birkin and her daughter Kate | image via @janebirkinoff