Surely the most referenced summer muse is Jane Birkin . The British actress and musician’s ‘60s and ‘70s summer looks continue to inspire influential dressers today – from Kate Moss and Alexa Chung to Jeanne Damas – and no summer collection is complete without at least one nod to her English- French hybrid style . Birkin’s aesthetic has proved immortal, with designers at every spring/summer fashion month returning to the prints, cuts and fabrics for which she is known and loved: the breezy minidresses and wraparound espadrilles she wore to lounge around the house, the belly-button-skimming crochet crop tops and white denim flares she donned while taking boats out to sea, the oversized linen shirt she reached for when strolling Sunday markets, basket bag in tow. From high-waisted denim shorts to long-sleeved Breton tees, tank tops to bohemian blouses, Pinterest and Instagram are littered with Birkin’s summer style. I’ve found myself sourcing her pieces for a suitcase I’ll never pack for a holiday I cannot take as a form of catharsis after a particularly draining day of Bad News™. Government failings and other people’s irresponsible attitudes to social distancing may be out of my control but curating a Birkin-inspired outfit for a holiday in 2021? That’s the good stuff, right there.