17-7-2023 (PARIS) Renowned British singer and actress Jane Birkin, who achieved fame in France, has died at the age of 76, as reported by BFMTV on Sunday. Birkin spent nearly six decades in the spotlight in her adopted home country, capturing the hearts of the French people and earning the endearing nickname of France’s favorite “anglaise.”
Birkin’s journey to stardom began soon after she moved to Paris at the age of 20, despite not knowing the French language. It was in the City of Love that she fell in love herself, with French actor and singer Serge Gainsbourg. The couple became a subject of fascination for the public, despite their significant age difference. Together, they created memorable collaborations, most notably the sultry duet “Je t’aime… moi non plus,” a song that gained infamy and was banned in several countries due to its explicit lyrics.
President Emmanuel Macron tweeted, “Because she embodied freedom and sang the most beautiful words in our language, Jane Birkin was a French icon,” paying tribute to the singer shortly after news of her passing emerged. Although Birkin rose to fame through her relationship with Gainsbourg, she quickly established herself as an individual star in her own right and a fashion icon in France, despite her British background.
Birkin served as the inspiration for the iconic Birkin bag, created by the French luxury house Hermès. “Mom represents a very Parisian style, which is funny because she’s not,” commented her daughter Lou Doillon in a 2017 interview with CNN.
The cause of Birkin’s death has yet to be revealed, but she had experienced health issues in recent years and suffered a stroke in 2021. One of her final public appearances was at the premiere of the documentary “Jane by Charlotte,” which explored Birkin’s relationship with her daughter Charlotte.
Birkin is survived by her daughters, Lou Doillon and actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, whom she had with Serge Gainsbourg. Her other daughter, Kate Barry, passed away in 2013 at the age of 46.
Jane Birkin, born in London in 1946, was previously married to the legendary British composer John Barry in 1965, although their union ended shortly after due to what Birkin described as a “miserable marriage.” She left for Paris in 1968 to work on the film “Slogan,” where she met Gainsbourg. It was Gainsbourg who wrote the international hit “Je t’aime… moi non plus” for Birkin in the same year.
Birkin became a beloved figure in French cinema, appearing in over 70 films and collaborating with esteemed directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, and Bertrand Tavernier. Her notable filmography includes “Blow-Up” (1966), “La Piscine” (The Swimming Pool) in 1969, and “Death on the Nile” (1978). Despite the end of her tumultuous relationship with Gainsbourg in 1981, the two remained on good terms and continued to collaborate on artistic projects.
In addition to her successful acting career, Birkin also made a significant impact in the music industry, releasing several albums in the French language. Her most recent album, “Oh! Pardon tu dormais,” released in 2020, delved into the tragedy of losing her first daughter, Kate.
While Birkin’s achievements spanned multiple creative realms, it was her role in creating the iconic Birkin bag that solidified her status as a household name. In an interview with CNN in 2020, Birkin shared how a chance encounter on an Air France flight with Jean-Louis Dumas, the then-chairman of Hermès, led to the creation of the bag. The Birkin bag, known for its enduring popularity and high demand, remains one of the most recognized and sought-after accessories in the fashion world.
