Beauty ICON of The Week: JANE BIRKIN

BEAUTY ICON OF THE WEEK: JANE BIRKIN

Jane Mallory Birkin

Born December 14,1946

Jane Birkin was born on 14 December 1946, in London. Her mother, Judy Campbell, was an English actress, best known for her work on stage. Her father, David Birkin, was a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander and World War II espionage operative. Her brother is the screenwriter and director Andrew Birkin. She was educated at Upper Chine School, Isle of Wight.

Birkin emerged in the Swinging London scene of the 1960s, appearing briefly in the 1966 film Blowup, and as the fantasy-like model in the psychedelicWonderwall from 1968. That same year, she auditioned in France for the lead female role in Slogan. Though she did not speak French, she won the role. She co-starred with Serge Gainsbourg, and performed with him on the film's theme song, "La chanson de slogan"—the first of many collaborations between the two.

In 1969, she and Gainsbourg released the duet "Je t'aime... moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither"). Gainsbourg originally wrote the song for Brigitte Bardot. The song caused a scandal for its sexual explicitness, and was banned by radio stations in Italy, Spain, and the UK. The song's fame is partly a result of its salacious lyrics, sung in French by both Gainsbourg and Birkin to a background of increasing sexual moans and groans from Birkin and culminating in her simulated orgasm at the song's conclusion.

This UK ban had TV show Top Of The Pops producers in a quandary as they always played the number one single. Controversially, they played the instrumental version which had been recorded by studio musicians Sounds Nice. This version was also a UK number 18 hit under the title of Love At First Sight.

Je t'aime made UK chart history in that on 4 October 1969 and the following week on the 11th. Je t'aime was at two different chart positions even though it is the same song, the same artists, and the same recorded version. The only difference was that they were on different record labels. It was originally released on the Fontana label, but due to its controversy, Fontana withdrew the record which was then released on the Major Minor label. Because there were Fontana singles still in the shops along with the Major Minor release, on 4 October 1969 the Major Minor release was at number 3 and the Fontana single at number 16. Also at that time it was the biggest ever selling single for a completely foreign language record.

Birkin also appeared on Gainsbourg's 1971 album Histoire de Melody Nelson, portraying the Lolita-like protagonist in song and on the cover.

Birkin starred in the Agatha Christie films Death on the Nile (1978) and Evil Under the Sun (1982), and recorded several albums, including Baby Alone in Babylone,Amours des Feintes, Lolita Go Home and Rendez-vous. She won Female Artist of the Year in the 1992 Victoires de la Musique.^[1]

Birkin took a break from acting in 1971–72, but returned as Brigitte Bardot's lover in Don Juan (Or If Don Juan Were a Woman) in 1973. In 1975, she appeared in Gainsbourg's first film, Je t'aime... moi non plus, which created a stir for frank examination of sexual ambiguity. For this performance she was nominated for a Best Actress César Award.

She starred in two films directed by Jacques Doillon – as Anne in La fille prodigue (1981) and as Alma in La pirate (1984, nominated for a César Award). This work led to an invitation from Patrice Chéreau to star on stage in La Fausse suivante by Marivaux at Nanterre. After this, she also began to appear frequently on stage in plays and concerts (in France, Japan, the UK and then the U.S).

In 1980 she worked with director Herbert Vesely on Egon Schiele Exzess und Bestrafung, appearing as the mistress of Austrian artist Egon Schiele, played byMathieu Carrière.

Jacques Rivette collaborated with her for Love on the Ground (1983) and La Belle Noiseuse (1991, Nominated Césars best supporting actress). Additionally, she appeared in Merchant Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998, also used her song "Di Doo Dah") and Merci Docteur Rey (2002), while Le Divorce's end title song featured her singing "L'Anamour", composed by Gainsbourg.^[1]

In 2006, she played the title role in Elektra, directed by Philippe Calvario in France.

Birkin's humanitarian interests led her to work with Amnesty International on immigrant welfare and AIDS issues. Birkin has also visited Bosnia, Rwanda and Palestine, often working with children. In 2001, she was awarded the OBE. She has also been awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite.

She has collaborated with artists such as Feist, Beth Gibbons from Portishead, Bryan Ferry, Brian Molko from Placebo, Franz Ferdinand, Manu Chao, Brett Anderson from Suede, Mickey 3D, Françoise Hardy, Cali, The Divine Comedy, The Magic Numbers, Paolo Conte, Beck, Rufus Wainwright, Benjamin Biolay, Keren Ann, Yann Tiersen, Alain Souchon, Les Negresses Vertes, Johnny Marr from The Smiths, Zazie, MC Solaar, Miossec, Yōsui Inoue, Étienne Daho, Alain Chamfort, Jimmy Rowles, Goran Bregović, Sonny LandrethThe Soundtrack of Our Lives and many others.

Birkin recorded the song "Beauty" on French producer Hector Zazou's 2003 album Strong Currents.

The cover art of Have You Fed the Fish? by singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, (which features her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg on backing vocals), features her image.

Birkin bag

Hermès named and designed a handbag—the Birkin bag—for her in 1984. On an Air France flight from Paris to London, Jane Birkin pulled her Hermes datebook out of her bag and all her papers fell on the floor. She complained to the passenger sitting next to her that the book should have pockets. That passenger was the chairman of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas, and after hearing her complaint he created the Birkin bag.

Birkin was first married from 1965 until 1968 to John Barry, the English composer who wrote the musical score to the James Bond movies. Their daughter, the photographer Kate Barry, was born on 8 April 1967.

She had a passionate and creative relationship with her mentor Serge Gainsbourg—they met on the set of Slogan. They married some time afterwards. In 1971 they had a daughter, the actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg. Birkin left Gainsbourg in 1980.

Jane Trivia

Mother of photographer Kate Barry (with John Barry), Charlotte Gainsbourg (with Serge Gainsbourg) and Lou Doillon (with Jacques Doillon).

Sister of Andrew Birkin

Daughter of actress Judy Campbell and Lieutenant-Commander David Birkin.

Living together with Jacques Doillon

She was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to acting and British French cultural relations.

Measurements: 32A-24-37 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Aunt of David Birkin and Ned Birkin.

French design house Hermès named and designed a handbag for her in 1984. The now famous "Birkin" bag is one of their most popular (and expensive at at least $6000 a piece) handbags to date.

The 1969 album "Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg" included the highly controversial track "Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus" which, though sung entirely in French, was banned by several radio stations due to the simulated "aural" sex that consisted of various explicit "gasps," "sighs" and "moans" interspersed throughout the French lyrics. Despite its notoriety, the single went on to top the British charts in October 1969, eventually scoring in France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Holland and Sweden. By early 1970 it had sneaked onto the American charts where it enjoyed modest success

Her mother was a second half-cousin of philosopher Bertrand Russell.

Is a descendant of King Charles II Stuart of England and Scotland.

Grandmother of Roman de Kermadec, born in 1987, (Kate Barry's son), Ben Attal, born in 1997, Alice Attal, born in 2002 (Charlotte Gainsbourg's children), and Marlowe-Tigger Mitchell, born in 2002 (Lou Doillon's son).

Has a bulldog named Dora.

In the 1980s a purse/bag - the Hermes Birkin Bag - was named after her.

Miller Harris' L'Air de Rien perfume was created for her especially by perfumer Lyn Harris.

Personal Quotes

David Attenborough... has that wonderful, breathy voice and he's always so fascinated by what he's seeing. There's nothing about him that I can't find attractive.

As there is no one to be pleased or unpleased with me, I'm actually rather merrier with my cat.

Big Ben . . . hearing the chimes makes me feel at home.

By meeting people in Sarajevo I realized I had nothing to complain about--they'd lost children crossing the road trying to find water. I stopped thinking about my problems and would sit with women in underground places, singing songs.

Any film I see at two o'clock in afternoon with my mother seems to cast a strange spell that means we both come out sobbing.

I don't know why people keep banging on about the '60s. I was very conventional because I came from a conventional family and I didn't go off with different people - I rather wish I had now, seeing all the fun everyone else was having. I just remember being married to [composer] John Barry and trying to be the best wife in the world. Newsweek magazine came over to London and did an interview with him and they wrote about "John Barry and his E-type Jaguar and his E-type wife." I remember thinking, "I'm not sure this is entirely a compliment" - on the contrary. But that's exactly what I was. And when John went off to America with another girl, what should have been a disaster for me was, in fact, the thing that actually made me have to go and do something for the first time in my life, because I had my baby, Kate, to support. So I went to France.

Mykie's Note!

I remember watching the film Blow Up, and Jane had a small part  in it that of a model, art imitating life as it where. And i was captivated by her, that mouth of hers, spaced, rather large teeth, come to think, i kinda have a thing for guys with big teeth, hum?  Musically I had only discovered her while in my 30's, I had seen her films and was aware that she sang a few duets with her then husband Serge Ginsburg. In fact it's her later stuff that I am obsessed with, ARABESQUE, a live album, that will keep any makeup trailer that i am in still and silent while all inside  just become enveloped but her haunting  lyrics and her manner of singing. From a makeup point of view She is beautiful, a rather strange pretty bird she reminds me off.  it's just the way I see her. In fact today she is still very beautiful in a handsome way, she has done what most women her age refused to do, age with grace and stride. She is a woman of world, a darling of the 60's , an ingenue, a paramour, and a muse, and she wears every bit of it on her face. God i just love her for that!

So is usually i will add a select filmography of the Jane Birkin films and music that I adore! If your are just reading about jane Birkin, your in for a treat, you will love her films and better yet the music!

love Mykie xoxo

JANE BIRLIN SELECT FILMOGRAPHY

Blow Up (1966)

Wonderwall (1968)

Death On The Nile (1978)

Evil Under The Sun (1982)

Beethoven's Nephew (1985)

Daddy Nostalgie (1990)

La Belle Noiseuse (1991)

A Soilders Daughter Never Cries (1998)

LAst September (1999)

Merci Docteur Rey (2002)

The Very Merry Widows (2003)

Music

Je t'aime...moi non plus 1969

Ex fan des sisies   1978

Versions Jane  1996

Rendez-Vous 2004

Fictions  2006

Enfants d'Hiver 2008

Arabesque 2002 (LIVE)