JANE BIRKIN: THE FOREVER STYLE ICON

It is no doubt Jane Birkin will be remembered for her successful acting and singing career, her long partnership with famous singer Serge Gainsbourg, her unique style which has left many inspired and most importantly her significant influence on the luxurious, elite Birkin Bag. This article is to celebrate and remember the life of the English/French icon who has left a massive impact on fashion and pop culture. Rest In Peace Jane Birkin 14/12/1946- 16/07/23.

Jane Mallory Birkin was born 14th December 1946 in Marylebone to English actress Judy Campbell and Royal Navy lieutenant David Birkin. When she was 17 she met composer John Barry whom she married in 1965 in which they had a daughter, Kate Barry, in 1967. They then later divorced in 1968 and that led Jane to start her acting career in Film and television, going for auditions in London and Los Angeles. In 1968 she auditioned and won the lead female role in the French film 'Slogan' where she met her future partner of 12 years, Serge Gainsbourg , where they performed the theme song "La Chanson de Slogan" , which was the first of many collaborations they had together. In 1969 the couple released the French duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus' being the first foreign song to reach the top of British music charts. It was around this time when Birkin started to become noticed for her looks and talent , more specifically when she attended Gala de l'Union des Artistes in Paris in a white crochet dress she wore backwards. Not to mention, her successful modelling career starting from the 1960s, helped forge her status of being one of the most influential fashion icons to live.

THE STORY BEHIND THE FAMOUS BIRKIN BAG

It is no mystery that Jane Birkin was the influence and inspiration for the glamorous Birkin Bag which is produced by Hermes. However, not many people know the backstory of exactly why it was named after her and how she managed to have the intake of such a premium bag. In 1981, Jane surprisingly received a flight seating upgrade, which led her to be seated next to Chief Executive of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas. The story from here is not entirely known by anyone apart from Jean and Jane but it goes along the lines of: Jane drops her bag, causing the contents (including her Hermes diary) to spill out on the floor in front of Dumas. He notices this and suggests to Jane a comfortable, stylish, spacious bag with pockets, she then replies with the proposition that if Dumas can produce a large and suitable bag which can be used to hold women's belongings with no fuss, she would use that instead of her famous wicker basket bag. Dumas agreed and pulled out a pencil and a travel sick bag which he used to sketch on; the pair worked together to create the more detailed idea and sketched vision of the notorious Birkin bag. The bag was then debuted in 1984, 3 years after this interaction. Despite the success the bag now has today, it took only until the late 1990s for the bag to get its well-owned recognition. The pop and fashion culture helped with this, taking the Sex And The City episode as an example, where Samantha had to quest to get her hands on the bag and the strict system where you need to be familiar with the Hermes brand and have to apply for a 5 year waiting list before being able to purchase one.

Jane Birkin with the first ever produced Birkin Bag

THE STYLE OF JANE BIRKIN

So now we've established Jane's impact in the fashion world, you might wonder what her wardrobe consisted of and how she put together some of the most memorable outfits. Jane's style will always be where some of my inspiration comes from when it comes down to styling outfits and finding out what I am most interested and attracted to, style and aesthetic wise. Birkin's style was a mix of simplicity, playfulness and sexiness, she was with no doubt, ahead of time with her Parisian style. Her looks consisted of the clothes fitting perfectly around her silhouette which created the pristine and graceful vision which has made millions of people look up to her in the fashion industry from designers, stylists, journalists and more.

DENIM

Jane's use of denim was always elegant and sophisticated, she would pair her denim looks with ballet or sandal flats. Not to forget, to complete the tomboy feel of the outfit, a white plain t shirt.

MINI DRESSES

With the rise of popularity of colourful and girly mini dresses in the 1960s and 70s, Birkin proved her love of a simple mini dress pairing it with boots or flats. She made these risqué dresses seem feminine and classy, showing people that this item wasn't at all 'vulgar' as many people had claimed them to be when the dress was first introduced in the 60s.

WHITE BLOUSES

To complete the Parisian look to her outfits, a semi unbuttoned white blouse was a must. It gave the casual but girlish feel and looked amazing with a pair of vintage denim jeans. Possibly inspired by her long time lover Gainsburg who also loved a simple button down shirt, Birkin made a modest and typical item look so laid back and relaxed.

WICKER BASKET

With the wicker basket being mentioned previously in the article, it was a staple piece for Jane, it's artistic, versatile but simple. Jane first found the bag in Portugal in the 1960s with it originally being a fisherman's basket but she made it a fashion statement never not being seen without it for a long period in her life.

BLAZERS

When more in a dressy and classy mood, a simple and chic blazer was the way to go. It would elevate an outfit of Jane's from plain to put-together and smart. Whether it be a velvet black blazer or a tweed with matching trousers, Jane managed to always pull off her signature look of a nonchalance feel with a mix of Paris chic and London casualness. Rugged, sexy, feminine and mellow, Birkin had an eye for fashion we will never forget and always look up too.