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'We wanted to be you': Friends and family of fashion icon Jane Birkin pay tribute to her 'elegant an

Brigitte Macron and Vanessa Paradis led mourners today as France’s fashion set  arrived in Paris for the funeral of Jane Birkin.

Joining the First Lady was Jane’s surviving daughters Charlotte Gainsbourg, 51,  and Lou Doillon, 40, who cut sombre figures to pay tribute to their late mother following her death from cancer at the age of 76.

Charlotte’s children – and Jane’s grandchildren –  Alice and Ben Attal looked emotional as they walked into the Saint-Roch church in Paris, while Jane’s songs were blasted on speakers on the streets of the French capital.

Singer Etienne Daho delivered a eulogy to the singer, noting how she would now reunite with former lover Serge Gainsbourg, her late daughter Kate Barry as well as her ‘parents, friends and dogs’. 

Mr Daho added that many ‘wanted to be’ the singer, who is also famed for being the inspiration for the Hermes Birkin Bag, and praised her ‘macabre British humour’.

Dressed appropriately in all black was Brigitte Macron, the 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 filmstars Jose Garcia, Catherine Deneuve and  Sandrine Kiberlain also turned up to mourn the star.

Samuel Benchetrit, left, and his wife Vanessa Paradis arrive to Jane Birkin's funerals ceremony at the Saint-Roch church in Paris

Samuel Benchetrit, left, and his wife Vanessa Paradis arrive to Jane Birkin’s funerals ceremony at the Saint-Roch church in Paris

Brigitte Macron lead the mourners today as France's fashion set have arrived in Paris for the funeral of Jane Birkin

Brigitte Macron lead the mourners today as France’s fashion set have arrived in Paris for the funeral of Jane Birkin

The first lady of France was escorted into the service by a security team

The first lady of France was escorted into the service by a security team

Jane Birkin's daughters Charlotte Gainsbourg, centre, and Lou Dillon, center right, arrive to mourn their mother

Jane Birkin’s daughters Charlotte Gainsbourg, centre, and Lou Dillon, center right, arrive to mourn their mother

Charlotte, left, joined pallbearers as they said goodbye to the fashion icon

Charlotte, left, joined pallbearers as they said goodbye to the fashion icon

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, the daughters of late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin arrive to mourn their mother

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou Doillon, the daughters of late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin arrive to mourn their mother

Jane's grandon Ben Attal looked emotional as he headed into the funeral

Jane’s grandon Ben Attal looked emotional as he headed into the funeral 

Ben and Alice Attal, Jane's grandchildren, joined their mother Charlotte Gainsborough and aunt Lou Doullion to mourn their grandmother

Ben and Alice Attal, Jane’s grandchildren, joined their mother Charlotte Gainsborough and aunt Lou Doullion to mourn their grandmother

Flowers are seen in front of the Church of Saint-Roch before the funeral of late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin in Paris

Flowers are seen in front of the Church of Saint-Roch before the funeral of late singer, actress and muse Jane Birkin in Paris

Ms Birkin’s music echoed around the streets of Paris as the fashion set turned up to mourn the muse.

A crowd built up around the church of Saint-Roch on Monday morning, as a close friend said she was preparing to re-join loved-ones including former boyfriend Serge Gainsbourg.

Recalling the Anglo-French showbusiness star who died last Sunday week, singer Etienne Daho said: ‘My Jane, thank you for your talent.

‘Your elegant and natural beauty, your pungent, macabre, and British humour, accompanied our gloomy adolescence. We wanted to be you, or Serge.’

Lou chatted to a priest before heading into the service

Lou chatted to a priest before heading into the service

French actress Catherine Deneuve looked emotional as she arrived at the funeral of Jane

French actress Catherine Deneuve looked emotional as she arrived at the funeral of Jane

Algerian actress Maiwenn looked stylish in all black as she attended the funeral

Algerian actress Maiwenn looked stylish in all black as she attended the funeral

Mr Daho recalled others who had died, including Mr Gainsbourg and Ms Birkin’s eldest daughter, Kate Berry, who fell from an 80ft from a window of her apartment in Paris 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 dearest Jane is gone.’

All listened to some of Ms Birkin’s hit songs – notably from the 1969 studio album Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg – which were played from giant speakers outside Saint-Roch.

Ms Birkin had fought a ‘fierce battle’ against cancer before her death.

She had described her leukaemia – which she was diagnosed with in 1998 – as a ‘not very painful cancer,’ but in May she cancelled a serious of concerts when it got worse.

She said at the time: ‘I have always been a great optimist, and I realise that I still need a little time to be able again on stage and with you’.

French singers - and brothers - Alain Souchon and Pierre Souchon wore all black for the service

French singers – and brothers – Alain Souchon and Pierre Souchon wore all black for the service

French photographer Tony Frank looked emotional as he headed to the church

French photographer Tony Frank looked emotional as he headed to the church

Ms Birkin was best known as the former lover of Mr Gainsbourg, whom she first met in 1969 while co-starring in the French satirical romantic comedy

Ms 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.

Ms 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 was despite it being banned from a number of stations, because it was considered too risqué.

French President Emmanuel Macron described Ms Birkin as ‘a complete artist, her voice was as sweet as her convictions were ardent. Her legacy to us is songs and images that that will not leave us.’

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Chauncey Koziol

Update: 2024-08-01