Grab your favorite bag and join us for a fabulous evening in celebration of It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin, the acclaimed new biography by bestselling author Marisa Meltzer. This evening is generously hosted by Melissa Lee and Gillian Vernick. Books will be available for all attendees.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A Most Anticipated Book of 2025: Town & Country • Harper’s Bazaar • W Magazine • Bustle • LitHub • Women’s Wear Daily
The first comprehensive biography of Jane Birkin—actress, singer, and legendary style icon—and her profound cultural impact, from the “acerbic, culturally astute, and genuine” (The New York Times) author of the instant New York Times bestseller Glossy.
Jane Birkin was synonymous with chic. Her effortless style and artistic legacy have been immortalized through her music and film career. And, of course, she was the inspiration behind one of the world’s most coveted bags, the Hermès Birkin. But who was the real woman behind the it girl?
Now, New York Times bestselling author Marisa Meltzer sheds new light on Birkin’s enigmatic life and explores her profound influence on generations in a rigorously reported biography unlike any other.
It Girl paints a vivid portrait of Birkin and her profound legacy, from her early years in 1960s London to her rise as a beloved celebrity in France, detailing personal challenges, her relationships with creative powerhouses, and the duality of her public and private selves. Based on interviews and deep archival research, Meltzer reveals the nuances of Birkin’s character: her famously tempestuous romantic relationships, life with her three famous daughters, and the creative energy that drove her. It Girl tells the story of her indelible impact on femininity and style, and how what we think of as French girl style grew from her. Far from being just a muse, Birkin is at last given her well-deserved due.
Marisa Meltzer is a journalist based in New York who for over two decades has covered beauty, fashion, wellness, and celebrity for top national publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller It Girl, Glossy, This Is Big, How Sassy Changed My Life, and Girl Power, and lives in Manhattan.
Please contact Renee Lamarque at [email protected] if you’re interested in attending this special evening. Donations to attend this evening are $75. Following your RSVP, you will be sent the address for the event. The donation is considered 100% tax-deductible and supports PEN America’s mission to defend writers and free expression at a time of unprecedented need. Your generosity is deeply appreciated.
About PEN America Authors’ Evenings
The PEN America Authors’ Evenings are nights of literary evenings in private homes and intimate settings. Please visit the Authors’ Evenings webpage for our full calendar of events.
Proceeds from the PEN America Authors’ Evenings support PEN America’s programming to secure the liberty of persecuted and imprisoned writers around the world, to defend freedom of expression, and to promote literature and international cultural exchange.