Jane Birkin dies at 76: How the iconic actor-singer inspired the Hermes’ Birkin bag

Although the Birkin bag has worn the crown as "Queen of Handbags" for some time now, it was not initially a runaway success

France's Culture Ministry and French media say singer and actress Jane Birkin has died at age 76. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who was also a fashion icon, passed away at the age of 76 on Sunday. According to several reports, the French icon was found dead in her apartment in London, but the cause of death was not immediately known. She was treated for leukaemia in the late 1990s and was reported to have suffered a stroke in September 2021.

“Because she embodied freedom, because she sang the most beautiful words of our language, Jane Birkin was a French icon. A complete artist, her voice was as sweet as her engagements were fiery. She bequeaths us tunes and images that will never leave us,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted, mourning the loss.

Parce qu’elle incarnait la liberté, qu’elle chantait les plus beaux mots de notre langue, Jane Birkin était une icône française.

Artiste complète, sa voix était aussi douce que ses engagements étaient ardents.

Elle nous lègue des airs et des images qui ne nous quitteront pas. pic.twitter.com/Ad27ngF54R

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 16, 2023

In addition to her inimitable personal style, Birkin is known to have famously inspired the iconic Hermès Birkin bag. As we remember the late icon, let’s delve deeper into what led to the creation of these luxury handbags.

The story goes that in 1981, Birkin was seated next to Jean-Louis Dumas, the then chief executive officer of Hermes, on a flight from Paris to London. During the flight, Jane Birkin placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment, and the contents of the bag fell out, leaving her frustrated with its lack of functionality.

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As she was complaining of the lack of large bags on the market, especially “for her needs as a young mother”, Dumas “immediately sketched a supple and spacious rectangular holdall with a burnished flap and saddle stitching. With a dedicated space for her baby’s bottles!” according to Hermes’ official website.

Jane Birkin inspired Hermes’ iconic Birkin bags (Source: Hermes)

As a result, Dumas collaborated with Birkin to design a handbag that would bear her name. The Birkin bag was born from this collaboration, combining functionality and style in a timeless manner. The bag features high-quality materials, meticulous craftsmanship, and a signature design that has made it one of the most sought-after luxury accessories in the world.

The Birkin bag quickly gained popularity, becoming synonymous with luxury and exclusivity. Its association with Jane Birkin, who was a style icon in her own right, further elevated its status and made it an enduring symbol of wealth and sophistication.

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According to Freeman’s Auction, although the Birkin bag has worn the crown as “Queen of Handbags” for some time now, it was not initially a runaway success. It took until the late 1990s for the bag to gain its reputation as a chic, elite status symbol.

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“Select moments in early 2000s popular culture — like the episode of Sex and the City that chronicled Samantha’s quest to get her hands on the elusive bag, including being placed on a five-year waitlist — helped catapult the Birkin bag into an even brighter spotlight, where it remains to this day,” said the auction house’s official website.

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