Actor and singer Jane Birkin was described for decades as the epitome of French style, though the star was born in London to British parents. But as a resident of France since the late 1960s, her casual, high-low look was often characterized as the definition of French style, on and off the screen.

Birkin died on July 16, 2023, at the age of 76. After a career that spanned seven decades, she's been photographed countless times, both as a model and on the street.

Born Jane Mallory Birkin on December 14, 1946, Birkin's career began on the London stage. She married composer John Barry in 1965, and after their parting in 1968, she transitioned to a career in film.

In 1968, she starred in Slogan, alongside French singer and actor Serge Gainsbourgh. Speaking with Vogue France in 2018, Birkin said that “The film saved me and enabled me to stay in France," where she'd remain for the rest of her life. The movie also introduced her to Gainsbourgh, with whom she'd maintain a personal and professional partnership for over a decade.

Birkin gave birth to the couple's daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, in 1971. Birkin and Gainsbourg ended their relationship in the early 1980s, but continued to collaborate professionally for years after. “In the end, we were like old friends. I loved being his confidante, that suited me fine,” Birkin told Vogue France.

In 1982, Birkin gave birth to her third child, Lou Doillon, during a relationship with director Jacques Doillon. “Meeting Jacques was a real turning point in my career,” Birkin told Vogue France. “In my private life, after I left Serge, Jacques and I lived together for thirteen years, and had Lou.”

Throughout this time, Birkin continued to release records, perform, and act. By the time of her passing, she'd appeared in over 65 films and released at least 20 albums.

Birkin also used her platform as an advocate and activist, most vocally for women and animal welfare. As recently as 2022, she participated in protests against female oppression. 

Speaking with CNN in 2020, she used her then-17-year-old grandson as an example of how men's attitudes toward women could be changed. “The way he’s been educated to ask girls what they think, to have their opinion, to only do things if the girl wants to – that a whole way of thinking, that’s quite un-macho, (is) the way that boys have been educated, as from now,” she said. “I think that’s what will change things … the attitude of young men, and the fact that women can feel that they’re protected in their workplace. Things will never be exactly the same again – and that’s a revolution."

At one of her last public appearances, at the Cesar Awards in Febuary 2023, Birkin walked the red carpet with daughter Charlotte and granddaughter Alice Attal. Gainsbourg's documentary about her mother, Jane by Charlotte, had been nominated for a best documentary Cesar. Speaking with IndieWire, Gainsbourg said that she “wanted to do a portrait of her today. I didn’t want any archives of the woman that people know from the ’70s, the ’80s. I wanted a portrait with the suffering she went through, but also with her humor; also a portrait of her not being overshadowed by my father.”