logo
Birkin: The Bag, the Woman, the Myth

Birkin: The Bag, the Woman, the Myth

New York Times5 days ago
The world is in the throes of Birkin mania.
This month the original Birkin bag, made by Hermès for the British actress Jane Birkin in 1984, sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby's in Paris.
The way Ms. Birkin wore it, festooned with nail clippers and stickers for political causes, has led to its own slang: to 'Birkinify' one's bag. The omnipresent Labubu plush toys that fans like to hang on their bags are said to have been inspired by the way Ms. Birkin affixed eclectic trinkets to her Birkins. Riffs on the Hermés classic, the Boatkin, have become sought-after novelty items that fetch their own hefty prices.
On social media, explainers proliferate on how to emulate Ms. Birkin's late 1960s, carefree, bourgeois-bohemian style, with sheer crocheted dresses and ballet flats.
All of this is happening two years after her death on July 16, 2023, following a cancer diagnosis and more than a decade of treatment.
She was a cult figure, particularly outside France, where she lived most of her life. Ms. Birkin, who was born in London, became a revered actress who appeared in more than 70 films and a musician whose most famous song, 'Je t'aime … moi non plus,' with Serge Gainsbourg, was a worldwide hit. It was banned by the Vatican for its lasciviousness, and Ms. Birkin responded that the pope was their best publicist. In 2023, the black-walled house on the Left Bank where the couple lived opened as a museum, and tickets to tour the residence sell out months in advance.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

🚨 Official: Lyon sign the son of a Dutch legend
🚨 Official: Lyon sign the son of a Dutch legend

Yahoo

time44 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

🚨 Official: Lyon sign the son of a Dutch legend

Another Kluivert in Ligue 1. This Friday, OL officially announced the signing of Ruben Kluivert from Casa Pia. The arrival of the 24-year-old defender was an open secret, as the Dutchman had already started training with his new team. The defender is also the son of legend Patrick Kluivert and becomes the second child of the Dutch striker to play in Ligue 1 after Justin, who wore the colors of Nice in 2021-22. The transfer fee is estimated to be around four million euros according to various sources. Also read: - The war continues, Bein slams the LFP - Mbappé's explosive response to the Olympic controversy - An English club announces the signing of... Taylor Swift 😳 This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here. 📸 CARLOS COSTA - AFP or licensors

Justin Timberlake leaves fans fuming after barely singing during festival concert
Justin Timberlake leaves fans fuming after barely singing during festival concert

Fox News

timean hour ago

  • Fox News

Justin Timberlake leaves fans fuming after barely singing during festival concert

Fans called out Justin Timberlake for not singing during a concert in Romania. Timberlake performed at the Electric Castle festival, but many weren't pleased with his performance. In one video, the pop singer can be heard continuously telling the audience to sing while walking around the stage and occasionally dancing. "When you pay for a concert but get a mute singer," a fan wrote while sharing the video on TikTok. "Dude took a day off on stage…" Users flooded the comments with jokes about the performance. "So y'all went to karaoke?" one wrote, while another added: "This performance could've been an email." "It looks like he doesn't even care," one user said. And another wrote: "So basically u paid ur ticket to listen to urself." "I would 100% request a refund," another chimed in. Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Timberlake for comment. Timberlake was in Romania as part of the European Leg of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. The "Cry Me a River" singer will head to Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey next. Timberlake's tour was almost derailed after the singer was arrested for DWI in June 2024. The former *NSYNC member pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of "driving while ability impaired" and was given community service. Timberlake addressed reporters after his hearing. The musician made a public apology and gave a drunk-driving PSA as required in his plea agreement. "So I don't, I don't know how many of you were in the courtroom and heard what I had to say in the courtroom, but I'll reiterate that and say this to you. Many of you have probably been covering me for a lot of my life. And as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard for myself. And this was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision, but I've had some time to reflect on that." "And I also understand by, you know, the fact that all of you are here, that I have a platform, you have a platform, we share that platform. And so what I like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you've had one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car. There's so many alternatives. Call a friend. Take an Uber. There's many travel apps … take a taxi."

Goodbye Ballet Flats, This French Shoe Will Be Trending Come Fall
Goodbye Ballet Flats, This French Shoe Will Be Trending Come Fall

Vogue

timean hour ago

  • Vogue

Goodbye Ballet Flats, This French Shoe Will Be Trending Come Fall

The world of dance has leapt long in fashion's collective imagination. Consider the reign of the ballet flat—still twirling its way down runways from Ferragamo to JW Anderson to, of course, Simone Rocha. The style was (and remains) the cornerstone of the 2010s It-girl wardrobe, as shown by the likes of Alexa Chung and Kate Moss. After a brief fall from grace (during the dark days of chunky Fila sneakers, Y2K Buffalos, and other such ankle-breaking styles), the ballet flat has pirouetted back into our wardrobes in a big way: ballet sneakers, ballet loafers, ballet heels, we're all gunning for our own Black Swan moment. Quietly leading the (not so quiet) ballet flat revival? French It-girl brand Repetto, whose styles have been adopted by new-gen fashion girls like Lily-Rose Depp. But prior to ballet flats being associated with any kind of -core, Repetto had a more unlikely mascot: Serge Gainsbourg. In the 1970s, the Frenchman swore by the brand's Zizi style, a soft jazz shoe that was named for dancer Zizi Jeanmaire, daughter-in-law of brand founder Rose Repetto. Today, you can go to Maison Gainsbourg, a Paris museum dedicated to the late singer, and see a pair of his well-worn, well-loved Repettos. The shoes were originally bought for him by partner Jane Birkin, because she was worried about his 'delicate' ankles. It also recalls the classic Derby shoe silhouette—a style with queried origins that traverse Europe: Some historians say the design can be linked to Edward Smith-Stanley, who was the 14th Earl of Derby; his bootmaker was tasked with creating an elegant but hardy shoe. Others connect it to Russian army officer Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher who required shoes fit for the battlefield. The footwear style has also been known by the names Blucher, Gibson, and Lorne. It actually became a popular sporting and hunting shoe in the 1850s, and by the turn of the 20th century, the Derby had become appropriate for wear about town in everyday life. While they share a shape and much of the same sensibilities, Gainsbourg's shoe of choice is much more soft, glove-like, and free-flowing than those that stomped the British East Midlands. Derbies, then—specifically the slim and supple kind—are ready for a comeback. Jacquemus led the charge with its spring 2024 collaboration with Repetto, while Lemaire has quietly adopted the lace-up style in tandem. Most recently, Derby shoes popped up at Celine, where Michael Rider's French take on American prep is quickly emerging as a new trend. (See also: Jonathan Anderson's Dior debut).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store