The Legacy of Jane Birkin

Jane Birkin, an icon of timeless elegance and artistic expression, is a name forever etched in the history of fashion and entertainment.
From being a part of iconic films like Michelangelo Antonioni's “Blow Up” (1966), and James Ivory’s “A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries” as an actress to having a successful music career where she constantly experimented with new sounds, Jane always had a flair for art.
However, it was her encounter with French singer Serge Gainsbourg that would truly change the trajectory of her life. The duo collaborated on the song "Je t'aime... moi non plus" (1969), which became an international sensation and catapulted Birkin to stardom.
Other iconic songs by Birkin include "Di Doo Dah" (1973), Ex-fan des sixties" (1978), Baby Alone In Babylone (1983), and Quoi" (1985) among many others.
Jane Birkin used to carry a hand-woven straw basket that she brought from Castro Marim in Portugal, as a purse and took it everywhere she went; from the nightclub to the market and even formal events.
In 1983, when Jane Birkin was flying from Paris to London, she was struggling to put her straw basket in the overhead compartment of the plane which eventually fell to the floor and collapsed.
The man seated next to her suggested that there should be pockets in her bag to which Jane replied “What can you do? Hermès don’t make it with pockets.”
Little did she know that she was talking to Jean-Louis Dumas, chief executive of Hermès. He agreed to make Jane a handbag the size of a basket with pockets - which led to the creation of the iconic Birkin bag.
Jane Birkin's impact on popular culture, fashion, and art continues to inspire new generations, making her an eternal icon of beauty, talent, and free-spiritedness.
Jane Birkin passed away on the 16th of July, on her first evening spent alone in nearly two years, as she tried to regain her independence while battling cancer.
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