An ‘unforgettable icon’: France pays tribute to ‘complete artist’ Jane Birkin
Leading French politicians and cultural figures have paid tribute to actress, singer and fashion icon Jane Birkin, who died on Sunday at 76. London-born Birkin was considered a national treasure in her adopted home of France and known internationally for her innate sense of style, her creative work and her infamous relationship with French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg.
Issued on: Modified:
France's President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday hailed Birkin as a "complete artist" and an "icon".
"Because she embodied freedom, because she sang the most beautiful words in our language, Jane Birkin was a French icon. A complete artist," Macron said on Twitter.
Parce qu’elle incarnait la liberté, qu’elle chantait les plus beaux mots de notre langue, Jane Birkin était une icône française.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 16, 2023
Artiste complète, sa voix était aussi douce que ses engagements étaient ardents.
Elle nous lègue des airs et des images qui ne nous quitteront pas. pic.twitter.com/Ad27ngF54R
France's Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne on Sunday said that Birkin was an "unforgettable icon", with “a unique voice and charm”.
"Through her music and her talent, she transcended generations. Thank you for the emotions touched and this legacy that will live forever," Borne wrote on Twitter.
The French culture ministry hailed the actress and singer as a “timeless Francophone icon”.
Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak called Birkin “the emblem for a whole epoch who never went out of fashion", and “the most French British person".
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo echoed the same sentiment, calling Birkin "the most Parisian of English women". She added, "We will never forget her songs, her laughter or her incomparable accent."
Actors, musicians, designers pay tribute
Hailing an artist "eternal in our hearts", actor and activist Brigitte Bardot said "when someone is so pretty, so fresh, so spontaneous, with the voice of a child, they don't have the right to die".
"Unimaginable to live in a world without your light in it," French singer Étienne Daho, one of Birkin's close friends, wrote on Instagram.
From the world of fashion, Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing said Birkin’s death was the passing of an "icon" whose bohemian-chic style inspired many. Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus posted a photo of Birkin in tribute.
In 1984, Hermes named one of its handbags after Birkin, after she complained to a former chief executive that she could not find a leather bag that could fit all she needed as a young mother.
The luxury brand in a statement hailed Birkin as "a dear and intimate friend" who was endowed with a "great humanity".
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe