Jane Birkin once toldElle, “I have always had the feeling of being unfinished.
Suffice it to say, the bag is pretty famous.
But what about the woman who inspired the bag?
Let’s dive in and discover who Jane Birkin, the inspiration behind the Birkin bag, really was.
Birkin grew up in London, and the entertainment industry was in her blood.
Birkin’s mother, Judy Campbell, had a career acting on stage.
Birkin always had an interest in the arts, and it was fostered by her parents.
And Jane wasn’t the only artist of her siblings.
Not all of Jane’s memories of childhood were fond, though.
As she told Elle, “I, on the other hand, took after my father.
At boarding school, I got teased for being ‘half-boy, half-girl’, because I had no chest.
Somehow, I was never up to what other people thought was normal.”
“My brother made a movie with me and his best friend … That was really my first part.
I was only too pleased,” she told Interview Magazine.
“Without my accent, I would have had a different career.
The French gave me a real gift in accepting me very quickly.
They found me amusing, in large part because of my accent and the mistakes I made in French.
It’s no doubt one of the reasons I never sought to improve it,” she toldVogue France.
She continued, “It sounded to me as if they’d made it in a telephone cubicle.
I had no ambition as a singer.”
As a singer, Birkin was known for her breathy vocals.
The actor wore clothes that were quintessential of the era, yet had a timeless feel.
Prior to Birkin inspiring her namesake bag, she was famous for carrying a basket.
If I was denied entry to Maxim’s because of my basket, I didn’t care.
I had this assurance.”
The famed basket met its demise when Birkin became better known for her work than for her style.
As she told Elle, “Even the basket went.
I found myself the most interesting at forty,” she said.
How exactly did Birkin receive such an honor?
Well, it was all thanks to a chance encounter on a flight.
But it wasn’t something Birkin minded.
As she told CNN, “It is fun to have something named after you.
My daughter Lou jokes that she is ‘the daughter of the bag.”
Birkin herself coveted the bag because of its functionality.
But today, theBirkin bagis known for its exclusivity and price.
Birkins typically range anywhere from $9,000 to $30,000.
One was sold in 2019 for $400,000.
The brand released a statement in response, assuring the public that its relationship with Birkin was still intact.
Any breach of rules will be rectified and sanctioned.
As of today, the bag is still called Birkin.
One of Birkin’s concerns was climate change.
Birkin often lent her talents to raise money and awareness for causes she championed.
One such cause was the anti-Chechnya war movement.
In addition to other actions she took, Birkin spoke out against the war at a concert of hers.
“She was not just a symbol of freedom.
She felt a responsibility to convey the truth about Chechnya.
Birkin was also willing to let go of prized possessions to help others.
The bag sold for over $162,000.
Though the relationship didn’t last, they did have a child together, a daughter named Kate.
The man she mentioned, Gainsbourg, ended up being the great love of her life.
Birkin did wish she had taken her relationship with Gainsbourg a step further, though.
As she told Interview Magazine, “I’d been so hurt the first time.
But, in fact, I really regret not having married Serge.
If there was anyone I should’ve married, it was certainly him.”
In the early 2000s, Birkin suffered a stroke, and she was diagnosed with leukemia.
The cancer went away with treatment, but it later returned and required further treatment.
Really gone… She wouldn’t get up.
Birkin was also grief-stricken when her former lover, Serge Gainsbourg, died.
“I’ve been singing these songs for so long now.
If there are things that come back and seem acutely painful, it’s for Kate.
These days it’s Kate’s touch that’s missing,” she said.
She made a major impact on the world
Jane Birkin certainly left her mark.
During her lifetime she conquered film, music, and fashion.
She fought for causes she cared about, and she was even awarded OBE in 2002.
After a fulfilling life, Birkin wasn’t afraid to die.
As Birkin told Interview Magazine, “Now my children are ready to become more famous than I am.
