Classic Stylish Photos of Jane Birkin, The English Icon of Freedom and ’60s Fashion

English actor, singer, and style icon of the ’60s, Jane Birkin, breathed her last on Sunday, 16th July, leaving a void in the world of art and fashion. Her death at 76 followed a series of health-related concert cancellations in May and a minor stroke less than two years ago. She is survived by her two daughters, who now carry forward her indomitable spirit and legacy.

h/t: vintag.es

In the wake of her passing, tributes poured in from around the world. French President Emmanuel Macron poignantly described Birkin as the embodiment of freedom. His tribute in a tweet read, “Jane Birkin was a French icon because she sang the most beautiful words of our language, embodying freedom. A complete artist, her voice was as sweet as her engagements were fiery. She bequeaths us tunes and images that will never leave us.”

The vibrant ’60s would not be complete without a mention of Jane Birkin. The actor, model, and singer-songwriter was celebrated for her talent, style, and the effortlessly chic and bohemian life she led. The essence of her unique charm was her simplistic ensembles, be it in a classic white tee and patchwork denim jeans or a daring crochet dress slashed to the navel.

Jane Birkin, the muse to many, once cited Jean Shrimpton as her beauty inspiration. Yet, to countless women worldwide, Birkin herself was the embodiment of the carefree ’60s and bohemian ’70s style. The golden couple of pop culture, Birkin, hand-in-hand with her love Serge Gainsbourg, and her faithful basket hooked on the other arm, took on Cannes and airport concourses with an equal measure of nonchalance and glamour.

Jane Birkin had a knack for making worn-in clothing look stunning. Her take on fashion was spontaneous and uninhibited. “I buy things often, but I sleep in them for two weeks, and then they really look quite rough,” she once candidly remarked. But to her adoring fans and the world at large, she was the picture of perfection.