Our Favorite Basket Bags for Summer, Inspired by Jane Birkin

Jane Birkin

Spring is finally here, which means it’s time to break out a new bag. Jane Birkin became known for her basket bag in the 1970s, and regardless of the year, as soon as the warm weather hits, we always find ourselves itching to carry one.

It wasn’t until years later in 1983 that Hermès came out with the Birkin bag—named after Jane. Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She placed her basket bag in the overhead compartment and the contents fell out, scattering all over the plane. She explained to Dumas that it had been hard for her to find a leather bag she really liked. And thus, the Birkin was born.

And while we’ve certainly got nothing but love for this iconic status symbol (hey, we’ll gladly take one if someone else is buying!), there’s something so simple, chic, and seasonally appropriate about carrying a basket bag. Here, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite Jane Birkin-inspired carryalls in the shoppable slideshow below—they’d work well on a bachelorette weekend or a tropical honeymoon destination. Just remember to forgo the overhead compartment when you travel!