Jane Birkin, the English singer and actress, has died at 76. She is survived by her daughters, actress Charlotte Gainsbourg and model Lou Doillon.
Birkin passed at her home in Paris on Sunday following a lengthy battle with leukemia, according to the BBC.
Born in Dec. 1946 in Marylebone, London, Birkin was raised in Chelsea. During her childhood, the singer attended Miss Ironside’s School and later Upper Chine School. In 1963, she met musician John Barry. The duo later wed in 1965, with Birkin moving to the United States and giving birth to her first daughter — the late photographer Kate Barry — prior to their separation in 1968. Birkin soon moved to London to begin her acting career, becoming known for her prominence in the psychedelic and counterculture film scene in the 1960’s.
The actress became a celebrity near the end of the decade, appearing in the 1969 French film “Slogan” and recording the duet “Je t’aime…moi non plus” with her co-star Serge Gainsbourg. The duo’s fame further rose upon being romantically involved until 1980, during which Birkin frequently collaborated on Gainsbourg’s musical projects and gave birth to their first daughter.
Birkin also amassed a wide range of accomplishments during her career, receiving an OBE in 2001 for her musical contributions. In the fashion world, the musician became iconic upon inspiring the Hermès Birkin handbag, which began when she met brand executive Jean-Louise Dumas in 1981 and expressed her difficulties at finding a large traveling bag that could hold all of her belongings, according to Freeman’s. The pair sketched the bag’s first design on the plane, later working together to make it’s first version.
The style has since become one of the most exclusive in the world, with Birkin’s personal Birkins even becoming top items at international auctions, with a leather version virally selling for 119,000 GBP (approximately $155,783 USD) at Bonhams in 2021. However, in 2015, Birkin requested the brand to stop using her name on the handbag due to concerns over animal skin sourcing, as previously reported in Footwear News.
Birkin’s affinity in the fashion world also grew from her effortless and nonchalant approach to dressing, which made her a muse for brands including Hermès, Lee Cooper and Saint Laurent. The same trajectory has grown for her daughters Doillon — an international model — and Gainsbourg, who’s also become a longtime Saint Laurent muse.
