Jane Birkin, British Actor And Singer, Dead At 76

British actor and singer Jane Birkin has died at the age of 76. Birkin was reportedly found dead at her home, according to local media who spoke with people close to the star, per Reuters, though her cause of death has not been revealed. Over the past few years, however, Birkin's health had been failing. Reuters reports that she suffered a "mild stroke" in 2021 that stemmed from "heart problems" in years prior. Wildly popular in France, Birkin was a fashion icon in her day and her name is synonymous with "French chic," according to the Associated Press.

"Because she embodied freedom, because she sang the most beautiful words of our language, Jane Birkin was a French icon. A complete artist, her voice was as sweet as her engagements were fiery. She bequeaths us tunes and images that will never leave us," read a tweet written by France's president, Emmanuel Macron. People around the world will recognize Birkin's name because of something completely unrelated to her career or her personal life. She is, after all, the inspiration behind the luxury handbag carried by dozens of celebrities.

Jane Birkin was known to many because of her partnership — both romantically and professionally — with Serge Gainsbourg, according to BBC News. The two created beautiful music together, including "Je t'aime... moi non plus," which was released in 1969. Over the course of their decade-spanning relationship, Birkin and Gainsbourg welcomed a daughter, Charlotte, who has followed in the footsteps of her parents and pursued a career in the entertainment industry, per Variety. Birkin and Gainsbourg split in 1980 but remained friends and continued their professional relationship for many years. Birkin would go on to have another child, a son, with French director Jacques Doillon, and another daughter — who died in 2013, according to Sky News — with her first husband, John Barry. 

As for how Birkin came to have a handbag named after her, it happened sort of by chance. According to L'officiel, Birkin was seated next to Hermès executive chairman Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight and she explained how difficult it was for her to find a bag that fit all her necessities. As the story goes, Dumas designed the bag "on the spot," and thus, a star was born.