Jane Birkin’s Ring Bikini Is The Boho-Chic Riviera Swimsuit of Summer

Jane Birkin’s ring bikini is the retro chic swimsuit of summer 2026.

Jane Birkin, with her unique allure combining French charm and Swinging London style, continues to influence fashion today, and not just with her iconic wicker basket and crochet dress. This summer, we’re inspired by the look from one of her most memorable films, Jacques Deray’s La Piscine, shot in 1969, in which she, at just 22, starred alongside two cinema greats: Romy Schneider and Alain DelonBehind the costumes sported by the film’s stars lies the talent of 
André Courrèges . A glance at the footage from the shoot was enough to understand it: the sober colors and essential cuts of the silhouettes fit perfectly with the aesthetic of someone considered a true fashion architect, the couturier who, with a degree in civil engineering, applied mathematics and logic to his creations.

For Jane Birkin, who plays the teenage Pénélope Lannier in the film, the designer created a style marked by large sunglasses, short shorts, and simple dresses that dictated the fashion of the time. Even though we only see her for a few minutes during the film, shot in Ramatuelle, her style remains etched in the memory.

But what particularly stood out was a brilliant white bikini that perfectly complemented the actress’s tan skin, becoming one of the most iconic and influential swimsuits in the history of cinema and fashion. The design, a classic triangle top with halterneck and low-waisted bottoms in keeping with the modernist aesthetic of the late 1960s, featured O-rings, large white plastic or resin rings that connected the two triangle cups of the top, while two more mirrored rings were positioned on the sides of the bottoms.

The costume is clearly distinct from the equally iconic model worn by 
Ursula Andress in James Bond vs. Dr. No a few years earlier, which became the symbol of a conquering and openly assertive femininity. For 
“La Piscine,” André Courrèges favored a more neutral approach, faithful to his stylistic language.

Even today, decades later, this specific bikini model is constantly re-proposed and imitated by the biggest beachwear brands for the summer season.