Jane Birkin: 5 Things About The Actress Who Inspired The Birkin Bag Dead At 76

View gallery

Jane Birkin has sadly passed distant astatine the property of 76. The London calved histrion and singer, who has lived successful Paris for astir of her big live, was recovered dormant successful her France location per CNN‘s affiliate BFMTV arsenic good arsenic the French Culture Ministry connected Sunday, July 16.

Her passing comes aft respective wellness struggles, including a changeable successful September 2021. She besides broke her enarthrosis successful May 2022, and postponed a fig of Paris concerts successful March 2022 portion she recovered. “I’ve ever been a large optimist, and I recognize that it inactive takes maine a small portion to beryllium capable to beryllium connected signifier again and with you. I emotion being with you truthful much,” she said to property and her fans via a connection past year.

Jane Birkin has passed away. (Laurent Vu/SIPA/Shutterstock)

Learn much astir the histrion who inspired the famed Hermès Birkin container her.

She was calved successful London

Jane was calved to Judy Campbell, an actress, and David Birkin, a naval serviceman connected December 14, 1946 successful Marylebone, London. She besides had a member Andrew Birkin. She was educated successful the United Kingdom astatine Miss Ironside’s School successful Kensington, past the Upper Chine School, Isle of Wight.

She joined astatine conscionable 17

Jane was a young bride, and walked down the aisle with James Bond composer John Barry backmost successful 1965. The mates welcomed their girl Kate Barry successful 1967 — but sadly the mates divorced conscionable a twelvemonth later. Notably, Kate passed distant successful 2013 astatine the property of 46, and was known successful the manner manufacture arsenic a lensman for Vogue.

After splitting from John, she past married Serge Gainsbourg, and the brace went connected to go 1 of Paris’ astir iconic couples done their national which lasted from 1968 – 1980. Jane and Serge besides had a girl Charlotte Gainsbourg.

In 1980, she joined Jacques Doillon, welcoming her 3rd girl Lou Doillon. The mates divorced successful 1990.

She inspired the Hermès Birkin bag

The Hermès Birkin remains the astir exclusive and sought aft decorator handbag of today. The container was created by the Parisian luxury statement successful 1984 aft Jane enamored erstwhile Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas during a formation from Paris to her hometown of London. During the conversation, the 2 allegedly discussed Jane’s challenges to find a container that acceptable everything she needed arsenic a then-mom of 2 younger children — starring him to make the Birkin tote.

In 2015, however, Jane made it wide she wanted her name removed from the decorator item. While the archetypal bags were leather, different variations person emerged implicit the years successful rarer materials, specified arsenic crocodile tegument — which she nary longer approved of arsenic a PETA spokesperson and carnal activist.

“Having been alerted to the cruel practices endured by crocodiles during their slaughter for the accumulation of Hermès bags carrying my sanction … I person asked Hermès Group to rename the Birkin until amended practices responding to planetary norms tin beryllium implemented for the accumulation of this bag,” she stated astatine the clip successful effect to a video showing alleged inhumane practices connected the reptiles.

The statement refused to driblet the name, and retorted backmost with a connection of their own. “Jane Birkin has expressed her concerns regarding practices for slaughtering crocodiles. Her comments bash not successful immoderate mode power the relationship and assurance that we person shared for galore years. Hermès respects and shares her emotions and was besides shocked by the images precocious broadcast,” they said.

She was an histrion and singer

Jane began auditioning for roles successful the precocious 1960s, contempt feeling insecure astir her looks from schoolhouse days. “I suffered a batch due to the fact that of my physique, particularly astatine boarding school. The others said I was fractional boy, fractional girl. I had nary breasts, not adjacent a processing bosom. It was horrible,” she explained during an interview.

Jane Birkin is seen successful her younger years. (Fremantle Media/Shutterstock)

Her archetypal quality was an uncredited relation successful 1965’s The Knack …and How to Get It — but it was the adjacent twelvemonth that she truly blew up connected the scene. In 1966, she starred in Blow Up (which besides included a scandalous nude scene), followed by Kaleidoscope and Wonderwall. In 1968, she met husband-to-be Serge arsenic they performed La Chanson de Slogan for the French movie Slogan — which went connected to commencement a bid of movies they worked connected together. The 2 besides did duet “Je t’aime… moi non plus” together, contempt him primitively penning the opus for Brigitte Bardot. The opus was banned by the Vatican and successful respective countries for intersexual content, but went connected to go #1 successful the United Kingdom.

She was awarded Order of the British Empire

Jane was awarded an OBE rubric successful 2001 for her for contributions to acting and Anglo-French taste relations, arsenic she leaved successful France astir of her big live.

Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get the hottest celeb news.