Over the past month, we’ve been breaking down our list of 16 classic fashion icons everyone should know. Last week, we covered Cher — the singer/actress you all know and love. This week, we’ll be talking about an influential figure on the European fashion scene, Jane Birkin.

The singer/actress/model/muse took over international pop culture in the 1960s and 1970s with her chic, undone style and provocative films and songs that were sometimes banned for being too sensual. (We’ll get into that later.)

A natural beauty and muse to many an artist (including the most renowned French musician in modern history), Jane Birkin is a stylish example of the je ne sais quoi of European fashion.

Keep reading to find out more about Jane’s early life in England, rise to French superstardom, and influence on the fashion scene.

Table of Contents

All About Jane

An English Rose

Jane found huge success in France and is considered a French style icon, but she was actually born in London, England in 1946.

Her mother was a successful actress, and her father was a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander and spy during WWII. Her brother, Andrew, is a filmmaker and has photographed her many times.

At 17, Jane was offered a part in a musical produced by her soon-to-be first husband John Barry. 

But she had yet to achieve the fame that was waiting for her. To begin, she starred in minor roles in counter-culture films like the movie Blow-Up. That role created a small buzz around her name due to her brief nude scene.

Ooh la la

Jane soon divorced John Barry and met Serge Gainsbourg. Gainsbourg, in case you don’t know, was one of the most important and influential figures in modern music and remains, to this day, an icon in France.