Seductive Facts About Jane Birkin, Fashion’s Romantic Icon
Sure, Jane Birkin has the GOAT of all handbags named after her—but that’s just a minor blip in an extraordinary life that was as daring and unconventional as her style.
1. She Was An Untamed Spirit
The connection between Jane Birkin and the infamous Hermès Birkin bag might be a bit of a head-scratcher at first. In one corner we have a pricy purse with mile-long waiting lists, and in the other, we have a Swinging Sixties bohemian.
Both are iconic, but only one was a singer-actress-influencer who lived a life brimming with head-spinning amounts of heartbreak, scandal, and loss.
2. She Was Glam From The Get-Go
Post-WWII Britain was probably one of the world’s least glitzy places, but on December 14, 1946, Jane Birkin’s birth brought some joy to the posh corner of London where her parents lived. Her childhood, which was split between the cultured streets of Chelsea and the serene landscapes of the Isle of Wight, was anything but ordinary.
3. She Was A Poor Little Rich Girl
Despite the enchanting settings, young Jane often felt out of place. As a shy, gap-toothed tomboy, she had trouble fitting in at her swanky boarding school. Classmates called her “half boy, half girl…It was horrible”. Luckily, with a high-ranking father in the Royal Navy and an acclaimed actress mother, Birkin was well-positioned to carve out a very unique life path.
4. She Was A Bit Of A Nepo Baby
Surrounded by the lights of the London stage and the drama of her father’s war stories not only gave Jane Birkin a taste for adventure, but it also gave her a foot in the stage door.
At the age of 16, she captivated audiences in her first big role as a deaf-mute opposite Ralph Richardson, one of the leading actors of the time.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, this would be the first of many of Birkin’s, um, gutsy life choices…
