Inside Jane Birkin’s World
By Wim Langedijk for HURS
Inside Jane Birkin’s World
HUR Reads is our definitive shortlist of the most prominent articles from around the web.
By HURS Team
1
How Jane Birkin Handled the Problem of Beauty
Actress, singer, and cultural muse, Jane Birkin lent her name to the world’s most coveted handbag and shaped an era through music and film. More than a style icon or Gainsbourg’s muse, she could also be fragile, self-doubting, and elusive, her life marked by a tension between public image and private self. In publishing a new biography about Birkin, Marisa Meltzer traces how Birkin’s elegance and candor left a lasting cultural imprint.
THE NEW YORKER
Sally Mann, American photographer famed for Immediate Family, reflects on a 30-year career in her new memoir Art Work: On the Creative Life. Mann’s work—haunting landscapes, intimate portraits, and historically charged images—explores beauty, horror, and memory. At 72, she’s still experimenting with new mediums, confronting censorship and AI, and proving that a singular vision can evolve while remaining sharp, provocative, and culturally vital.
A RABBIT’S FOOT
At New York Fashion Week, Gwyneth Paltrow unveiled GWYN, her reimagined Goop fashion line. As Vanessa Friedman writes, the collection reflects Paltrow’s personal style: understated, precise, and timeless. Collaborating with designer Sofía Menassé, Paltrow positions GWYN as more than celebrity fashion, aiming for a thoughtful, modern wardrobe that blends elegance with everyday wear, signaling ambitions akin to a contemporary Ralph Lauren–style brand.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Maya Moore walked away from a glittering WNBA career at her peak to pursue social-justice activism, including overturning the wrongful conviction of Jonathan Irons, whom she later married. Jemele Hill discusses Moore’s choice, which highlighted the pay disparities in women’s basketball while setting a standard for athlete activism. Even as the landscape of sports and politics shifts, Moore’s gamble remains a powerful testament to using fame for justice.
THE ATLANTIC
Cosmetic surgery has gone mainstream, with millions of procedures performed annually. It is a booming market fueled by celebrity transparency and influencer culture. As Scarlett Harris reports, the environmental and ethical costs are significant: energy-intensive operating rooms, fossil-fuel–derived implants, and medical waste leave a heavy carbon footprint. While these interventions can be life-changing, the normalization of elective procedures reveals an industry ripe for reform and accountability.