Jane Birkin, British-French celebrity and style icon, dies at 76
Jane Birkin, the British-born singer and actress who became a style icon in her adopted France, has died, a close source said on Sunday. She was 76. Birkin had been suffering from health problems in recent years that had forced her to cancel concerts. The cause of death and other details were not immediately available. Birkin catapulted to fame through her turbulent relationship with legendary singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg and her heavily accented French. With her flared jeans, mini dresses, and messy bangs, Birkin was a fashion icon in the 1970s. In 1984, Hermes named one of its handbags after her, which remains a sought-after status symbol. Turbulent love affair She crossed the Channel in 1968 at the age of 22 to star in a film alongside Gainsbourg, who was 18 years her senior. It was the start of a 13-year relationship that made them France's most famous couple, in the spotlight as much for their bohemian and hedonistic lifestyle as for their work. Birkin, with her soft voice and androgynous silhouette, quickly became a sex symbol, recording a steamy duo with a growling Gainsbourg in 1969, "Je t'aime… moi non plus". Banned on radio in several countries and condemned by the Vatican, the song was a worldwide success. "He and I became the most famous of couples in that strange way because of 'Je t'aime' and because we stuck together for 13 years and he went on being my friend until the day he died. Who could ask for more?" Birkin told CNN in 2006. "So Paris became my home. I've been adopted here. They like my accent," she said. Style icon The daughter of an actress and a naval officer, Birkin married James Bond composer, John Barry, with whom she had a daughter, Kate. The marriage lasted three years. She moved to France after meeting Gainsbourg on the set of a romantic comedy in which he was her co-star. They had a daughter, Charlotte, who became a hugely successful actress and singer. The musical and romantic relationship between Gainsbourg and Birkin was famously tempestuous. During one of their raging rows, Birkin tossed herself into the River Seine after throwing a custard pie in Gainsbourg's face. She blazed her own trail after walking out on France's favorite bad boy in 1980. In her around 70 films she has worked with leading French directors including Bertrand Tavernier, Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, James Ivory, and Agnes Varda. But she remained forever associated with Gainsbourg, who continued to write songs for her after their split, including "Les dessous chics" about lingerie being used to try to cover up a relationship on the rocks. "It's the most beautiful song about separation you could ever have," Birkin told AFP in a 2018 interview. Her oldest daughter, Kate Barry, a photographer, died in an apparent suicide in 2013. Birkin is survived by her daughter with Gainsbourg, Charlotte, and her daughter Lou Doillon, a singer, whom she had during a 13-year relationship with French director Jacques Doillon. The post Jane Birkin, British-French celebrity and style icon, dies at 76 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
French war photographer Marie-Laure de Decker dead at 75
Marie-Laure de Decker, the French model who stepped behind the camera to become an internationally recognized war photographer, has died at the age of 75, her family said Saturday. She died in hospital on Saturday following a long illness, her family said. Born in Algeria -- when it was still a French colony -- she started her career as a model before deciding to branch out into photography. In the late 1960s, she took memorable shots of the artists Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp and the writer Philippe Soupault. She covered the Vietnam War early in her career and met with success despite her relative lack of experience. "I said to myself: people are going to see that I'm not a real photographer," she wrote in a 1985 memoir. She only had an old Leica camera with her, she recalled. "In fact, I realized afterwards, this old Leica was a marvel." She faced particular challenges working as a female war photographer, she said. "If you're a woman, you're never taken seriously." On the other hand, she added: "There is an advantage to being a woman, as was the case in South Africa -- they don't kill you right away, they give you a chance." Chad Moussa Faki, current chair of the African Union Commission, paid tribute to her Saturday, speaking of his "great sadness" at the news of her death. Her images, he wrote on Twitter, "immortalized part of the history of Chad". De Decker spent much of her career at the Gamma photo agency: from 1971 until it closed down in 2009. Their association ended on bad terms. When she asked to get her photos back, she only got the black-and-white shots and not the color ones and she lost a subsequent legal bid to recover them and have her copyright recognized for their digital versions of the photos. Marie-Laure de Decker is also known for her photos of celebrities such as French singer Serge Gainsbourg, Caroline of Monaco, and France's former president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing. She had two sons with lawyer Thierry Levy. The post French war photographer Marie-Laure de Decker dead at 75 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Changemakers of tomorrow
PUP Hygears and UPHSD Altas Valor are vying for the Philippines at the Shell Eco-marathon in Lombok, Indonesia. The teams are part of a global network of student innovators working to create energy-efficient vehicles that reduce emissions and promote sustainability. Serge Bernal, vice president for corporate relations of Shell Pilipinas Corp., asks for the teams to look at this experience beyond the competition: “We at Shell Pilipinas are proud to support the next generation of innovators through programs like Shell Eco-marathon.” PUP Hygears’ vehicle Luna IV will be joining the Battery Electric Prototype category. The vehicle aims to reduce the amount of waste produced during the fabrication process by reusing and repurposing the materials used for their vehicle last year. This year, PUP Hygears is determined to bounce back from last year’s competition and to improve their performance. Altas Valor’s vehicle Avalon is joining the Urban Concept Internal Combustion category. Avalon is an automatic engine powered by Continuously Variable Transmission. It has a carbon fiber body with enhanced stock parts and an aluminum chassis. SEM 2023 runs at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Lombok until 9 July. The post Changemakers of tomorrow appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lessons
Back when cockfighting and gamefowl farms were still legal in some states in the US, my Tito Serge would visit a well-known breeder who became a good friend over the years......»»
Retiring in luxury with Excalibur Builders
Excalibur Builders' Sergio “Serge” Syjuco and his equally passionate and talented team have already mastered the art of building luxury homes for the most discerning clients, retirees being one of them......»»
Clippers’ star Leonard gets cut in mouth
LOS ANGELES, United States — Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard suffered a cut in his mouth that required eight stitches to seal but should be ready to face the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Leonard was injured in a collision with teammate Serge Ibaka in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 121-108 NBA victory at Denver. […] The post Clippers’ star Leonard gets cut in mouth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Reports: Ibaka agrees to join Clippers on two-year deal
The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with free agent Serge Ibaka, multiple outlets reported late Saturday night. Ibaka, 31, spent the past four seasons in Toronto and is coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 15.4 points in the COVID-shortened season. Ibaka has averaged 12.6 points […] The post Reports: Ibaka agrees to join Clippers on two-year deal appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»