Spirit of Jane Birkin and her fisher’s basket is being channelled by luxury brands and high street alike
“W
hen you start recognising that you’re having fun, life can be delightful,” said Jane Birkin. She was talking about champagne – but could equally have been talking about her popular basket, which is now arguably the accessory of the summer.
“It’s such a weird story, because as a useful bag it doesn’t really function,” says fashion historian Tony Glenville. The then CEO of Hermès, Jean-Louis Dumas, apparently watched as the contents of one of Birkin’s baskets spilled out on an Air France flight to London in 1984. The bag’s obvious design flaws – no zips or pockets – inspired Dumas to create the leather Birkin handbag.
Design flaws aside, the high street is awash with baskets: Next, New Look, Mango and M&S are all offering cut-price versions. Luxury fashion has hopped on the wicker wagon, too, the most sought-after version said to be by the Spanish luxury brand Loewe. In the last three months alone, searches for Loewe’s raffia bags have increased by 1600% on Net-a-Porter.
