Jane Birkin, the British-French singer and actress whose collaboration with the artist Serge Gainsbourg made her a defining figure of the 1970s and whose personal style inspired a luxury handbag, died on Sunday in Paris. She was 76.

Her death was confirmed by President Emmanuel Macron of France, who called her “a French icon” in a message posted on Twitter. The French news media reported that Birkin had been found dead at her home but that the cause was not immediately known.

It was Birkin’s personal and artistic relationship with Gainsbourg that made her famous overseas, especially following their 1969 hit song “Je t’aime… moi non plus” (I Love You… Me Neither). In America, Birkin was mostly known for lending her name to the famous Hermès handbags, status symbols with a distinct strap fastener and signature latch.

Birkin met Gainsbourg on a film set in 1968, beginning a love affair that would last 12 years and captivate France.

Their erotic duet “Je t’aime… moi non plus”, whose lyrics are punctuated by breathy moans from Birkin, was seen as exemplifying the sexual revolution of the 1960s. It was condemned by the Vatican.

New York Times News Service