
Sotheby's to auction off Jane Birkin's original Hermès Birkin bag
The bag, typically known to be 'The Original Birkin', is a black leather prototype featuring design elements 'that set it apart from every Birkin that followed', Sotheby's said, including a stamp with the initials J.B. on the front flap.
The bag was designed in 1985 by Hermès' then-creative director Jean-Louis Dumas, who had met Jane Birkin in a chance encounter, created the piece to cater to her needs and ultimately named the final design after the British-French actress. Current Birkin model and the Original Birkin on the plinth. Credits: Sotheby's.
The historic accessory will go under the hammer in an auction taking place July 10, alongside other pieces that helped to define fashion trends from the 1950s through to the 2010s.
Alongside the Birkin, the first edition of the Fashion Icons Sale will also include a selection of pieces from the late 1980s to early 1990s by Azzedine Alaïa; dresses from 'The Girl Who Lives in a Tree' and 'Plato Atlantis' collections of the late Alexander McQueen; and other pieces by designers considered 'trailblazers' over the last 70 years, including Pierre Balmain, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Thierry Mugler.
The auction will be held at Sotheby's Paris galleries, where all the items will be publicly displayed from July 3 to July 9. Azzedine Alaïa, Black Lambskin Ensemble, AW 1983-84 Credits: Sotheby's.
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Metro
22 minutes ago
- Metro
Stand-up comedians are being eclipsed by a genre that's about to explode
I've just spent a week as a critic at the Edinburgh Fringe, and there's excitement in the air that's got nothing to do with stand-up comedy. Story-telling stand-up is about to be toppled off its live comedy throne after decades of domination by a genre that's about to explode: character comedy. For the purposes of this article, by stand-up comedy I mean when a person tells anecdotes and makes jokes on stage as themselves, if not a slightly heightened version of them; think the likes of Katherine Ryan, Michael McIntyre, Peter Kay, and pretty much all the biggest household names in British comedy. Character comedy, on the other hand, is when a comedian plays a character that is more than just an amplified version of themselves. Instead, they are embodying an alter-ego or someone completely different. On TV, character comedians have already boomed, of course, with Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge, Diane Morgan's Philomena Cunk and all the sitcom characters in between, like Lolly Adefope's many faces, not to mention Mr Bean. But in the live comedy world, this alternative scene is fizzing with unexploded talent. Last year, character comedian Joe Kent-Walters sold out his Edinburgh Fringe run with his disturbing but hilarious alter-ego Frankie Monroe and with buckets of five-star reviews won best newcomer at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards. This year, character comedian Lorna Rose Treen's 24 Hour Diner People is one of this year's most-hyped Fringe shows. Just a week in and Lorna's hour was fully sold out, and she's even bagged herself a run at Soho Theatre in September: a spot that's every Edinburgh Fringe comedian's dream. 24 Hour Diner people is a delightfully daft romp into Lorna's bonkers imagination, with a satisfying structure and plenty of laughs. It introduces characters in an American diner – a long-armed trucker, a horny teenager, and a heist plotter – with chaotic momentum and clever transitions. While Lorna's characters are brilliantly ticklish, some lack specificity and depth that would transition this show from appreciative laughs into belly-cackle territory. Nevertheless, I can't wait to see what Lorna does next. She's an absolute hoot, and 24 Hour Diner People is an exciting example of what can happen when comedians aren't afraid to experiment and run with their wildest dreams. 'I've only been going for three and a half years… I think part of my early success was because I was doing something so different,' Lorna says in a pre-Fringe chat with Metro. She too is convinced character comedy is having a moment. 'I'm really excited to see so much character comedy coming back and bubbling up,' Lorna says, pointing to the new Soho Theatre Character Comedy Development Lab, which has been set up to hone acts on the circuit. 'It's been really cool to have that place for people to start off. Because when I was starting, I didn't really have anywhere to go,' she says. Lorna reckons outside the clowning and drag world – of which there are many weird and wonderful characters to behold – there are just around 30 character comedians of her generation on the UK circuit right now. 'It's harder to fill a lineup with character comics,' Archie Henderson-Cleland, who you may know as his alter-ego Jazz Emu, agrees in a chat with us, while pondering why character comedians have lagged behind stand-ups in live spaces. But the industry is gagging for character comedy, even if audiences haven't quite caught up with it. 'Characters are still the alternative at the Fringe, but quite often they've been the ones that have gone on to make a really successful sitcom,' Archie says. Lorna agrees: 'In the last three years, the TV industry has now said they only want laugh-out-loud comedy [as opposed to comedy dramas]. So that's great, because that's really turned in my favour.' Rory Marshall is a relative newbie on the scene, having started posting skits in character online during lockdown. He didn't know anyone in the comedy industry, but when producers got in touch, Rory thought he'd give live shows a whirl at The Moth Club in Hackney. Rory Marshall is making his Edinburgh Fringe debut with the brilliant Pathetic Little Characters. The expert hour sees Rory embody a number of everyday men – all of which had the crowd roaring in recognition. With the stage presence of a seasoned pro, Rory delivers male characters we've all met, but have never deeply thought about until now. Through an hour of surprising comedy – I laughed so loud it was almost embarrassing – he dissects these Pathetic Little Characters and stitches them back together with genius precision. Although he perhaps didn't mean them to be, Rory's characters are also a vital and satisfying study into the male psyche and its flaws – some sympathetic, some not so much – which he invites everyone to laugh at with Partridge-esque gusto. We should all be keeping a very close eye on Rory Marshall – because he's about to blow up. Rory was 'really nervous' about doing his characters on stage for the first time, but found The Moth Club a welcoming space with a comedy-tuned audience. But when he tried a regular stand-up comedy gig, things didn't work out quite so well. 'I did this bit in character and there was not one laugh. It was 10 minutes to go, and I was thinking, 'What on earth am I going to do here?'' Rory remembers. Archie agrees. He did a lot of stand-up comedy gigs as Jazz Emu in character and it was 'much harder' than at alternative nights – which I'm told 'come and go' (they tend to blaze bright and die soon after of financial stress). Now he only performs at the more left-field nights. 'I love silliness, and I love escapism. I love all this stuff. And I actually think it's really nice for people to have some distraction when everything is very heavy,' says Archie, while acknowledging this is a privileged position to be in. While character comedy can be pure daftness, it's also another way in to talk about and highlight important issues, albeit less obviously so than a comedian telling jokes about their trauma on stage. 'I think it's such a miserable time in the world,' says Lorna. 'It's hard to be a woman in comedy. It's hard to be a woman doing anything really, especially right now. 'That's where I feel like my power is, to be a woman making absurd stuff feels quite political.' For Rory, whose characters nail little quirks I didn't identify in men before I saw him perform them, he is not actively trying to be political. But exploring masculinity in any form in 2025 kind of… is. 'When you see a man who is uncomfortable in a situation, I find it fascinating to look at how he feels, or how he's perceived, and then how that makes him act,' he explains. What makes character comedians so exciting in 2025 isn't any political or social trend they are peddling, though. It's simply that these performers are endlessly creative and bold enough to commit to 'the bit' – however left-field. 'Character comedians are so creative in the way they're like, 'I'm going to try this, which I wrote yesterday. I have very little faith in it. It's quite daring, quite sort of risky,'' observes Rory. In terms of looking for their – deep breath, 'big break' – character comedians are navigating a wilder, less-trodden path than stand-up comedians. And that's sort of freeing. With the Edinburgh Fringe comes huge pressures for stand-up comedians, who are known to have been made and broken on its cobbled streets. This long history mounts pressure onto each joke, moment and show. There's less room for risk-taking for young comics. More Trending 'I think there's more trust in the process and the craziness of it with character comedy,' Rory says. 'It's at the back of everyone's mind that there could be a casting person in the audience or something. But I think the thing I've noticed is that there's just a love for the creativity of it.' While Archie was nervous to become eccentric, annoying Jazz on stage, he had to do it. 'There are still people that find it annoying and cartoony,' laughs Jazz. 'But this is what I would want to watch, so I thought I'll just do that.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Beloved Scottish comedian Gary Little dies aged 61 MORE: Comedian Milton Jones shares prostate cancer update after 'dark moments' post-surgery MORE: Comedian Milton Jones gives major prostate cancer update after cancelling tour


Daily Mirror
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Olly Murs' wife 'lonely' after 'brutal' birth amid 'fear of losing who you are'
EXCLUSIVE: Singer Olly Murs and his wife Amelia are expecting their second baby and have opened up becoming parents and their struggle after Amelia's first difficult birth With an energetic 16-month-old and another baby on the way, Olly and Amelia Murs are the perfect fit as the new faces of The Parent Hood, M&S 's club for mums and dads. One of the fastest growing baby clubs in the UK, it is part of the high street chain's loyalty scheme, Sparks, and encourages young parents to meet up in M&S cafés to swap experiences over a cuppa and free slice of cake. It's a hectic time for Essex-based Olly, 41, and Amelia, 32. The pair, who married two years ago, have their hands full with toddler Madison, who appears with them in the Parent Hood campaign. Outside of daddy duties, singer Olly has just finished his latest tour and he is still presenting his Heart FM weekend radio show alongside fellow M&S ambassador Mark Wright. With fitness enthusiast Amelia due to give birth imminently, OK! caught up with the couple to discuss all the highs and lows of parenting… Hi guys. Congrats on your role as The Parent Hood ambassadors. It seems a great match… Amelia: Yeah, I feel like everything has aligned at the right time. We're so proud to be part of this as a family. Olly: The fact we could do the photo shoot with Madi and the bump was really special. M&S is an amazing brand and part of British culture, and hopefully we can inspire more parents to go to the clubs. It began with you going to the club, didn't it Amelia? Yes, I've been a member almost since it formed. It can be quite lonely as a mum, but this gives you a sense of community, and a reason to go out. There's so much parents don't know, but you can learn about everything from weaning recipes to what kind of nursing bra to buy. Olly: It's lovely that mums can go and just have a chat. You know, 'Am I doing it right?', 'This happened today', 'Oh, my god, I did the same thing.' It gives you a bit of reassurance that everyone's going through the same thing. Are you both keen to be honest about the challenges of parenting? Amelia: I've tried to be a bit more open recently, especially while Olly's been away. Olly: There's no point being all happy and Instagrammy and, 'It's all amazing.' I'm very honest. Being parents is unbelievable, but at the same time it's extremely hard. Being pregnant, Amelia hasn't been able to go the gym much, which is her hobby. You don't want to lose who you are, so it's about finding a balance. What advice have you given your mate Mark Wright about his and Michelle Keegan's baby girl Palma? Olly: People said to me, 'Olly, enjoy the first four months. They're the best time.' And I was like, 'What?' When Madison came it didn't feel like that. I told Wrighty that and he took it on board. I've been saying, 'Enjoy your trip to Majorca, because, trust me, when Palma is crawling or walking in a few months, that's a whole other level.' I also warned him about the weaning stage. You think they're choking and your wife's like, 'It's fine – she's just got to learn how to use her mouth.' What's it called? The gag reflex. I'm like, 'Babe, I can't. I'm off to sit in the other room.' Do you think Palma and Madison will grow up as friends? Olly: I hope so, being around the same age. And with us being parents at the same time, it's going to be special. We haven't had time to make it work because our schedules are so mad, but we will when things calm down. Wrighty and I have already spoken about going on holiday and just being together, which will be fun. We've got such a good friendship, and I really want Michelle and Amelia to meet properly. I'm sure they'll have loads in common. How's Madison doing? Olly: A few weeks ago, she was the best I've ever seen her. For two weeks, she ate everything Amelia gave her. But for the last three or four days, it's been, 'Nope, don't like that.' It's the same food as last week! What's going on? She's babbling away now. It sounds like she's speaking French or German. Which one of you is she most like? Amelia: She's very like Olly in that she loves an audience and is very extrovert. But she's also quite independent and if we're trying to feed her she's like, 'I'm doing that myself' – with spaghetti going everywhere. Olly: Me and Amelia can both be very stubborn. She's definitely got that part of us. Who's the best nappy-changer? Olly: We have two different styles. Amelia's very precise and it's a real experience. Madi's got her toys and she's all calm. Me, I'm like an F1 pit-stopper, I just get it done quickly. Do you think you'll be a strict dad when Madison is older? Yeah, because that's how my parents were with me. I think discipline and respect are important. I don't want her to have any self-entitlement or to feel like she deserves anything more than anyone else. I want to her to be grounded. Are you managing to squeeze in some date nights ahead of Baby No.2? Olly: We were meant to go to Wimbledon, but it was 36 degrees, so we didn't think it was a good idea. Amelia: We're dropping Madi off to Olly's mum later so we can do some clearing out. Does that count? With another baby due, there must be lots of different emotions… Amelia: It changes week by week as I get closer to having the baby. We can't wait to meet who's in there and see Madi with a sibling. But I get a bit overwhelmed when I think of having two under two. Olly: We know we can do it and it's going to be fine. The most important thing is that the baby is healthy. Did you have an unplanned C-section last time? Amelia: We were planning a natural birth, but Madi was in a precarious position. She was transverse [sideways] so we didn't have an option. The recovery was brutal and I wish people had been more honest about that. Maybe it's because I'm active, but I didn't realise how much I wouldn't be able to do afterwards. You've chosen not to find out the sex, but do you have a hunch? Amelia: It's hard to tell, because I was convinced Madi was a boy. But I do think this one is a boy. Olly: Obviously, that'd be cool, but I'm swaying more to thinking it's a girl. I'd love that, I genuinely would. Have you planned this birth yet? Olly: We're reaching the point where we have to make decisions. But this feels like a different pregnancy. Amelia: We know that this baby's not transverse, which is good. Olly: We're very excited and announcing this thing with M&S has made it much more real. Two or three more weeks and we're gonna be right back at it!


BreakingNews.ie
23 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Christmas Carol adaptation to feature Scrooge who ‘despises refugees'
A modern-day film adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol will feature a version of Ebenezer Scrooge who 'despises refugees', the director has said. Musical movie Christmas Karma stars The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar as a contemporary Scrooge, called Mr Sood, who is haunted by three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, played by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, Pose actor Billy Porter and British singer Boy George. Advertisement Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha hopes the audience will be invested in the transformation of Mr Sood, and his chance to be a part of a society that doesn't allow 'Scrooges, twisted and shaped by prejudice, to grow.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christmas Karma (@christmaskarmamovie) Former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer, singer Pixie Lott, Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran, Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville and Sanditon's Leo Suter also star in the movie. Chadha, 65, said in her director's statement: 'Our Scrooge, called Sood, is a rich British Indian who despises poor people and refugees in particular.' 'Sood has decided that immense wealth brings him status and standing, so to hell with the poor, unemployed and disenfranchised who didn't work as hard as him to get where he is.' Advertisement The movie 'is very true to the original text and sentiment', according to Chadha, and will teach audiences 'the urgent lesson of how prejudice, poverty and division in all its forms shapes Sood and our society today'. The British-Indian director added: 'A hundred and eighty-two years later, Dickens' novella still resonates globally in today's sometimes harsh world.' She also said she was inspired by a family member, who lost his home in Uganda as a child, and came to Britain around Christmas time, arriving to a hostile welcome as a refugee. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christmas Karma (@christmaskarmamovie) 'For years he didn't feel Christmas was for him and the hardships he faced as a child left him despising it,' she said. Advertisement She added: 'For me, Christmas Karma is a legacy film with a humane message that will live on long after I do.' Soap star Dyer, 48, plays a London cabbie, while Bonneville, 61, plays the ghost of Jacob Marley. Influenced by gospel, bhangra, Christmas carols, rap and classic pop, the soundtrack features music from Take That's Gary Barlow, former All Saints member Shaznay Lewis, and England-based Punjabi bhangra singer Malkit Singh. Other adaptations of the classic novel, published in 1843, include a 2019 BBC mini series starring Adolescence actor Stephen Graham, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Advertisement On stage Doctor Who's Christopher Eccleston played Scrooge in a retelling of the story at the Old Vic in London between November 2023 and January 2024. There are also a number of film adaptations including Scrooged (1988), starring Bill Murray as an angry TV network president and modern-day Scrooge, and The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992). The film is in cinemas from November 14th.