How Jane Birkin gave her name to the Hermès handbag and why she wanted to take it away

Jane Birkin, an English-born French singer, actress and fashion icon inspired the creation of one of the most luxurious handbags in the world, the Birkin bag by the famous French luxury design house Hermès. Jane Birkin died on July 16, Sunday, in France.

The actress and singer, who had made Paris "her home", died at the age of 76. Although the cause of her death has not been revealed, according to ABC News, the actress had several health problems in the past few years, including a stroke that happened in 2021 and a broken shoulder blade in early 2023.

Jane and the Hermes Birkin

Jane Birkin was quite popular in France, and the singer became a fashion icon in the 1960s and 70s. She inspired the creation of one of the most expensive luxury handbags in the world, the 'Birkin', by the French luxury goods brand Hermès.

This purse, a statement piece, is one of the most sought-after bags in the world.

Jane Birkin's collaboration with Hermès took place when the French brand's chief executive, Jean-Louis Dumas, noticed the actress-singer struggling with a straw basket on a flight to London in 1984. Jane Birkin told Jean-Louis Dumas that she had not been able to find a leather bag she liked that could hold all of her essential things that she needed to keep in the bag as a mother of a young child. 

• In an interview with Anthony Mason on CBS Sunday Morning, Jane Birkin revealed that while she was on the airplane, she had spilt the items from her bag on the ground. And when she picked it up, the passenger who was sitting next to Jane Birkin suggested that she needed a bag with pockets, she said: "What can you do, Hermès don’t make it with pockets." 

That man turned out to be Jean-Louis Dumas, Executive Chairman of Hermès (1978-2006), and they came up with a sketch of a bag design together on the back of a stomach-distressed bag, in exchange for the use of her name.

• Months later, she got a call from Hermès to come look at the bag which was made out of cardboard.
• After this episode, Hermès designed a tote bag for her - the Birkin - and that is when Hermès asked if they could call that bag a 'Birkin'.

All about the coveted Birkin

• The first Birkin bag was designed in 1984.
• An enviable list of owners: Celebrities and key personalities have been spotted carrying a Birkin. The list includes Nita Ambani, Kim Kardashian, Pippa Middleton, Victoria Bekham, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Moss and Kylie Jenner, Kris Jenner, Katie Holmes and many other celebrities from India and abroad.
• The Birkin bags are crafted entirely by hand.
• They are made in France and are of premium quality leather of calf skin, ostrich skin and alligator skin. Each bag is cut, sewn and polished by a single artisan. 
• Nita Ambani's rare Birkin bag created quite a bit of stir when she was seen with it. Ambani's Neige Faubourg Birkin 20 White Matte Alligator handbag cost approximately US $400,000 or Rs 3.2 crore.
• How to get a Birkin? You cannot walk into an Hermès store and buy a Birkin; neither can you buy this bag on their website. You need to seem worthy of buying a Birkin; and cultivating a relationship with the Hermès Sales Associate (SA) at the store can be a good way to start.
• If there is a quota bag present in the store and the SA thinks that you're worthy, then you will be invited to a private room where they'll show you a Birkin bag.
• Cost of the Birkin bag: The price range of a Birkin bag can be anything between $10,000 (Rs 8.2 lakh) and it can go up to $400,000 (Rs 3.2 crore).

The controversy around the Crocodile-skin Birkin bag

The Crocodile-skin Birkin bag has created quite a bit of attention from animal rights activists upon learning the "cruel" methods that were adopted to make this luxury handbag.

PETA said that it took two or three crocodiles to make the Birkin bag.

In an investigation, PETA found out that on crocodile farms from Texas to Zimbabwe, the reptiles are allegedly crammed into barren concrete pits and are "cruelly hacked" to death. They further added, "At just one year old, alligators are shot with a captive-bolt gun or crudely cut into while they're still conscious and able to feel pain."

• After learning this, Jane Birkin had asked Hermès to remove her name from the crocodile-skin handbag.

However, the spat between Jane Birkin and Hermès was resolved.

The French luxury fashion house said that this was an "isolated irregularity" in the slaughter process at a crocodile farm in Texas. Hermès also warned the farm that if such thing were to happen again or if the farm ignored the recommended procedures, then they would cut all ties with the farm.

Hermès further said, "Jane Birkin has advised us that she is satisfied by the measures taken by Hermès."

The British singer, who moved to Paris at the age of 20, felt as though she was "adopted" in Paris and made the City of Love her home.

French president Emmanuel Macron paid a tribute to the actress on Twitter following her death, saying, "Because she embodied freedom, because she sang the most beautiful words of our language, Jane Birkin was a French icon."

Jane Birkin died in Paris on Sunday, July 16.

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