“‘Clutter’ was a generous way of putting it”
Jane was not allowed Permission To rearrange any outfit of creation. Most of the rooms were filled with various memorabilia he had collected over time – including ashtrays from various hotels, toy monkeys, police badges and large sexually suggestive posters and photographs of former flames. Brigitte Bardot. ‘It was claustrophobic inside. ‘Clutter’ was a generous way of putting it,’ writes Marissa.
Cheyne row red
In contrast to Serge’s messy personal temple, Jane’s early interior appears surprisingly traditional. Pictured here in her home on Cheney Row in Chelsea, London in 1971, Jane sits on her bed with her newborn daughter, Charlotte. The house came to Jane through her ex-husband, musician John Barry. He bought the remainder of the 10-year lease for her before the divorce, allowing the model to spend a few London Christmases there with Serge and their children. Although not immediately apparent in this black-and-white snap, the bedroom was covered in deep red—from the canopied bed to the painted walls, headboard, and frame. Elsewhere, the house mixed classical architectural details with bohemian furnishings and fabrics that became a hallmark of Jane’s style.
Very French Brit
There is some irony in the fact that the very British Jane Birkin became the archetype for French-girl style. The model was born in the tony Marylebone neighborhood of London and raised, for the most part, in Chelsea, while spending her school years in Kensington and the Isle of Wight. Her relaxed aesthetic was a departure from the formal, more tailored style worn by French girls her age. After Jane’s popularity exploded in 1969, the simplicity of her hairstyle and her penchant for men’s shirts and flared jeans made the casual-chic look a touchstone of modern French style. This 1971 picture shows Jane in her Chelsea home, performing the very British ritual of tea time, albeit in her own bohemian way.
