As Jane Birkin dies at 76 which stars are fans of the iconic Hermès ‘Birkin bag,' named after her?

It is always devastating when one of your style icons passes away. In my opinion, Jane Birkin epitomised that ‘Je ne sais quoi’ style that French women seem to be born with and the rest of the world slavishly like to emulate. 

According to Sky News, “The English-French star, who lent her name to the Hermès Birkin designer handbag, was found at her home by her caregiver, BFMTV reported. Beginning her career as an actress,she gained international fame for her on and off-screen relationship with Serge Gainsbourg.”

Jane Birkin, who had a stroke in 2021, had three children, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou Doillon and Kate Barry. Photographer Kate Barry died in 2013. Actress Charlotte Gainsbourg made a documentary about her mother, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Charlotte Gainsbourg’s documentary about her mother was entitled 'Jane by Charlotte.' In an interview with France Today, Charlotte spoke about it and said: “I did the film in a very selfish way, asking questions about myself, about our relationship and about my father.”

Jane Birkin was born in the UK and moved to Paris in 1968 when she starred alongside Serge Gainsbourg in the film Slogan. Her mother Judy Campbell was a British actress and singer whilst her father David Birkin worked as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy. 

In 1969, Jane Birkin performed a duet with Serge Gainsbourg entitled ‘Je t’aime… moi no plus (I love you… me neither.`` According to In Style “The song’s lyrics were viewed as so explicit that it was banned by the Vatican. The pair went on to forge a decades-long creative and romantic relationship.”

It is hard to believe that the legendary Hermès ‘Birkin Bag' came about by a chance encounter. The Hermès website says the bag came about in the sky. "Who could have imagined that one of the most coveted objects of recent decades would be born in the sky, in 1984, on a flight from Paris to London?" The website goes on to say that "British actress Jane Birkin, sitting next to Jean-Louis Dumas, Executive Chairman of Hermès (1978-2006) was compaling that she couldn't find a bag suitable for her needs as a young mother."

Famous fans of the ‘Birkin’ include Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian. It has of course been featured in many well known TV shows and movies including ‘Sex and the City.’ There is an iconic photograph of supermodel Kate Moss holding her then baby daughter Lila Grace on one arm and her white Birkin on the other. Without question, Kate Moss always manages to look stylish, but in that photograph, she made ‘motherhood’ look effortlessly glamorous.

So, what was about Jane Birkin that made her such a style icon?

To this day, I often google ‘Jane Birkin’s hair and fashion.’ With her fringe that always looked ‘perfect.’ she had the ability to always make denim look chic and timeless, Jane Birkin was just one of those women who was innately stylish without trying to be. In 2012, TIME, wrote: “With her straight bangs, clam stare and gapped teeth, the woman for whom the famed Hermès 'Birkin Bag' was named embodied the cool nonchalance of mod London and yeh-yeh Paris in the 1960s and ‘70s.”

Although for some Jane Birkin will be best remembered for her relationship with Serge Gainsbourg and the 'Birkin Bag,' I will always remember for her innate style that I will forever try and of course fail to replicate.