Jane Birkin: I Don’t Want My Name on Your Crocodile Purse

Jane Birkin asked luxury brand Hermès to “debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place.” This request comes after a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) undercover investigation exposed abuses at a Hermès crocodile supplier. The investigators found that animals were confined to small concrete spaces and had their necks sliced open so wires could be shoved down their spines. Birkin inspired the iconic purse after a flight with an Hermès chief executive in 1981 and later became the bag’s namesake. The Birkin bag is notoriously difficult to obtain and retails for tens of thousands of dollars. In a statement to Vogue, the company said, “Jane Birkin has expressed her concerns regarding practices for slaughtering crocodiles. Her comments do not in any way influence the friendship and confidence that we have shared for many years. Hermès respects and shares her emotions and was also shocked by the images recently broadcast.”