‘We wanted to be you’: Friends and family of fashion icon Jane Birkin pay tribute to her ‘elegant and natural beauty’ as her daughters and stars including Vanessa Paradis lead mourners at her funeral following her death aged 76
Brigitte Macron and Vanessa Paradis led the mourners today as France’s fashion set arrived in Paris for Jane Birkin’s funeral.
The Franco-British singer’s surviving daughters, Charlotte Gainsbourg, 51, and Lou Doillon, 40, as well as her grandchildren Alice and Ben Attal, made doleful figures to pay tribute to the actress, as her music was blasted in the street outside the Saint-Roch church in Paris.
Birkin died at her home in Paris last week after a long battle with cancer. The 76-year-old star of cult films including Blow-Up was ‘found dead by a caretaker’ in the French capital.
Singer Etienne Daho gave a eulogy to the singer, noting how she would now reunite with former lovers Serge Gainsbourg, her daughter Kate Barry and her “parents, friends and dogs.”
Appropriately dressed in black was Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The first lady, who is considered one of the chicest women in France, was joined by many French actors, including Vanessa Paradis, the ex-wife of Johnny Depp and her husband, French filmmaker Samuel Benchetrit.
French film stars Jose Garcia, Catherine Deneuve and Sandrine Kiberlain also showed up to mourn the star.
Samuel Benchetrit, left, and his wife Vanessa Paradis arrive at Jane Birkin’s funeral ceremony at Saint-Roch Church in Paris
Brigitte Macron leads the mourners today as France’s fashion set has arrived in Paris for Jane Birkin’s funeral
The first lady of France was escorted into the service by a security team
Jane Birkin’s daughters, Charlotte Gainsbourg, center, and Lou Dillon, center right, arrive to mourn their mother
Charlotte, left, joined the wearers as they parted ways with the fashion icon
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, the daughters of the late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin arrive to mourn their mother
Jane’s grandson Ben Attal looked emotional as he entered the funeral
Ben and Alice Attal, Jane’s grandchildren, joined their mother Charlotte Gainsborough and aunt Lou Doullion in mourning for their grandmother
Flowers are seen in front of the Church of Saint-Roch for the funeral of the late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin in Paris
Mrs. Birkin’s music echoed through the streets of Paris as the fashion set turned up to mourn the muse.
A crowd gathered around Saint-Roch church on Monday morning as a close friend said she was preparing to rejoin loved ones, including ex-boyfriend Serge Gainsbourg.
Recalling the Anglo-French show business star who died last Sunday, singer Etienne Daho said, “My Jane, thank you for your talent.
‘Your elegant and natural beauty, your piercing, macabre and British humor accompanied our bleak adolescence. We wanted to be you or Serge.’
Lou talked to a priest before going to the service
French actress Catherine Deneuve looked emotional when she arrived at Jane’s funeral
Algerian actress Maiwenn looked stylish in black as she attended the funeral
Mr Daho recalled others who had died, including Mr Gainsbourg and Mrs Birkin’s eldest daughter, Kate Berry, who fell from a height of 25 meters from a window of her Paris apartment in 2013.
‘You will find your parents, Kate, Serge, your friends and your dogs. And we will miss you terribly,’ Mr. Daho said.
Marianne Faithfull, another English singer who adopted Paris as her home, posted the words, “My darling Jane is gone.”
All listened to some of Mrs. Birkin’s hit songs—particularly from the 1969 Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg studio album—played from giant loudspeakers outside Saint-Roch.
Ms Birkin had fought a ‘fierce battle’ against cancer before her death.
She had described her leukemia – which she was diagnosed with in 1998 – as a ‘not very painful cancer’, but in May she canceled a series of concerts when it got worse.
She then said, “I’ve always been a great optimist, and I realize I need some time to get back on stage and with you.”
French singers – and brothers – Alain Souchon and Pierre Souchon wore all black for the service
French photographer Tony Frank looked emotional as he made his way to church
Mrs. Birkin was best known as the former lover of Mr. Gainsbourg, whom she first met in 1969 when she co-starred in the French satirical romantic comedy
Mrs Birkin was 21 at the time and had moved to France with her toddler daughter Kate Barry after a brief marriage to the James Bond composer John Barry.
Mrs Birkin and Gainsbourg’s sexually explicit song, ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus’ (I love you, nor me) was a worldwide hit, reaching number one in the UK Charts.
This despite being banned from a number of stations, as it was considered too risqué.
French President Emmanuel Macron described Ms Birkin as “a complete performer, her voice as sweet as her convictions fervent. Her legacy to us are songs and images that will not leave us.’