Jane Birkin: Made in England, Forged in France Birkin had a thriving career as a singer and an actress, in both communicating a seemingly nonchalant demeanor that camouflaged a melancholy core.

Style Icon Jane Birkin’s Looks Over the Decades The British-French singer, actress and style icon may have been known as the inspiration for the Birkin bag, but she was so much more.

Jane Birkin, Singer, Actress and Fashion Inspiration, Dies at 76 She was a British-born “French icon” for years associated with the singer Serge Gainsbourg. In the U.S., she was known for lending her name to luxury handbags by Hermès.