Jane Birkin, the British-born singer and actress who became a style icon in her adopted France, has died, a source close to her said on Sunday. She was 76.
Birkin had been suffering from health problems in recent years that had forced her to cancel concerts.
The cause of death and other details were not immediately known.
Birkin catapulted to fame through her turbulent relationship with legendary singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg and her heavily accented French, which became one of her signatures in her adopted home. With her flared jeans,mini dresses and distinctive fringe, Birkin was the ultimate It girl in the 1970s.. In 1984, Hermes named one of its handbags after her, which remains a sought-after status symbol.
Tributes poured in from across the country following her death.
President Emmanuel Macron led off calling Birkin “a complete artist” who “sang the most beautiful words in our language”.
“Unimaginable to live in a world without your light in it,” singer Etienne Daho, one of her close friends, wrote on Instagram. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne hailed her as an “unforgettable icon, a unique voice and charm” who “with her music and her talent transcended generations”.
Turbulent love affair
Born in London, Birkin crossed the Channel in 1968 at the age of 22 to star in a film alongside Gainsbourg, who was 18 years her senior.
It was the start of a 13-year relationship that made them France’s most famous couple, in the spotlight as much for their bohemian and hedonistic lifestyle as for their work.