What was in Jane Birkin’s bag? The story of a legend that began on a plane

On December 14, 1946, Jane Birkin was born – a cult actress, singer and style icon who would have turned 79 this year. Her name is forever inscribed in the history of fashion not only thanks to her creativity, but also because of an accessory that has become a symbol of luxury and freedom at the same time – the Hermès Birkin bag.

The story of its creation began by chance. About forty years ago, during a flight to London, Jane flew next to the then head of Hermès Jean-Louis Dumas. At some point, the entire contents of her Hermès Agenda spilled out – and this situation unexpectedly turned into a conversation about bags. Birkin complained that she could not find a comfortable and roomy model – one that would be larger and more practical than the Kelly.

From words, we quickly moved on to ideas: just during the flight, the first sketch of the future bag was made. A month later, Jane was invited to the Hermès office, where she was shown a cardboard model of the accessory. It was then that the suggestion was made to name the bag after her — by analogy with Kelly, dedicated to Grace Kelly. That’s how Birkin appeared.

Over the years, this bag became not just an accessory, but a real cultural phenomenon. The very first Birkin with the initials J.B later entered the Excellence à la Française exhibition, which demonstrated the best examples of French craftsmanship. It is symbolic that the exhibition was timed to Jane’s birthday — December 14.

                                  Special attention deserves the way Birkin treated her bag. She did not keep it as a museum exhibit, but used it every day: she decorated it with ribbons, necklaces, key chains with charms, personalizing the accessory for herself. Today, it even has its own name — Birkinfying. This aesthetic has already been picked up by the Miu Miu, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta brands in their new collections.

For Jane, the Birkin was not a status symbol, but a convenient everyday item. The signs of wear, scuffs and “life” only added to its character and value. Ironically, one of the Birkin bags was later sold at auction for almost $10 million — an artifact of the era and a reflection of its owner’s personality.