Culture Studies: Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg and the Swinging London
learn about the history of the name behind the Birkin Hermès Bag
In a previous posting, we explained the origin of the Hermès Birkin bag, named after the famous British actress/singer Jane Birkin, who emerged in the swinging '60s in London.
Birkin Bag
Hermès named and designed a handbag - the Birkin bag - for Jane Birkin in 1984 after the actress was seen in 1981 by the head of Hermès struggling with several bags while boarding an aeroplane. The Birkin bag has become one of Hermès' most popular and expensive handbags.
Personal life of Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin (born 14 December 1946) was married from 1965 until 1968 to John Barry, an English composer who wrote the musical score to the James Bond movies.
She had a very passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg — they met on the set of Slogan and married in 1968.
In 1969, she and Serge Gainsbourg released the song "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither" or, less literally, "love-hate relationship"), written by Gainsbourg and featuring both of them singing, which caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness. Arguably due in part to the publicity it got from being banned by radio stations in Italy, Spain, and the UK, it was a commercial success all over Europe. The song's fame is a result of its salacious lyrics (sung in French) against a background of female moaning and groaning, culminating in an orgasm at the song's conclusion.
Jane Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International, on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. Birkin has also visited Bosnia, Rwanda and Palestinian Territories, often working with children. She was awarded an OBE, in 2001, for her services to acting. She has also been awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite.
Je t'aime... moi non plus
Yesterday Yes A Day
Quoi
Official website
In a previous posting, we explained the origin of the Hermès Birkin bag, named after the famous British actress/singer Jane Birkin, who emerged in the swinging '60s in London.Birkin Bag
Hermès named and designed a handbag - the Birkin bag - for Jane Birkin in 1984 after the actress was seen in 1981 by the head of Hermès struggling with several bags while boarding an aeroplane. The Birkin bag has become one of Hermès' most popular and expensive handbags.
Personal life of Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin (born 14 December 1946) was married from 1965 until 1968 to John Barry, an English composer who wrote the musical score to the James Bond movies.
She had a very passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg — they met on the set of Slogan and married in 1968.
In 1969, she and Serge Gainsbourg released the song "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither" or, less literally, "love-hate relationship"), written by Gainsbourg and featuring both of them singing, which caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness. Arguably due in part to the publicity it got from being banned by radio stations in Italy, Spain, and the UK, it was a commercial success all over Europe. The song's fame is a result of its salacious lyrics (sung in French) against a background of female moaning and groaning, culminating in an orgasm at the song's conclusion.
Jane Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International, on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. Birkin has also visited Bosnia, Rwanda and Palestinian Territories, often working with children. She was awarded an OBE, in 2001, for her services to acting. She has also been awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite.
Je t'aime... moi non plus
Quoi
Official website
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