ON A FLIGHT from Paris to London in the early 1980s, the London-born singer and actress serendipitously made fashion history. It all happened in the clouds as Jane Birkin struggled to organise her belongings in her handbag and expressed frustration to her neighbour onboard, a man who so happened to be then Head Designer of Hermès (and later its Chief Executive), Jean-Louis Dumas. Fascinated, Dumas used her feedback to produce a handbag that would meet her needs. What bag, you ask? You do know her name? Influential, the Birkin remains one of the most coveted and elusive handbags today.
Her relationship with French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg was just as fortuitous. It was in 1968 when the multi-hyphenate met the latter while working on the French film Slogan. While Birkin had already established herself as an actress in Britain, her time in France, particularly her relationship with Gainsbourg, opened up new opportunities that helped shape her artistic identity.
This story is from the Issue 192 edition of August Man SG.
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This story is from the Issue 192 edition of August Man SG.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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