In a world where goods are more accessible than ever thanks to the online market space and the huge rise in “dupes” (or products made to be a duplicate of a high-end product for a lower cost), it’s easier than ever to get your hands on whatever you’ve been eyeing—without breaking the bank. And now, dupes are coming for the most luxury of luxury brands, introducing not just good-quality competition, but accessible competition. The latest luxury dupe that’s been making headlines? The Walmart “Birkin” bag, or “Wirkin”, which is shockingly similar to the ever-famous, exclusive Hermès Birkin. Here is everything you need to know about the “Wirkin” and if you can still get your hands on one today.
History of the Hermès Birkin bag
The Birkin bag was named after Jane Birkin, one of the most popular “it” girls of the 1960s through 1980s. Birkin was a French actress, singer and style icon, and was also known for her famous relationship with Serge Gainsbourg, a French singer-songwriter and actor.
Legend has it that the Birkin bag came to life when Jane Birkin happened to meet Hermès CEO and artistic director Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight from Paris to London. Birkin was carrying her signature wicker bag, and everything spilled out of the bag as she was putting it in the overhead bin. Birkin got to talking to Dumas about how she wished there was a roomy, everyday bag on the market that was stylish and practical. The next thing you know, Dumas created and designed the infamous Birkin bag.
The Birkin bag is easy to carry, large enough to tote all the essentials without being “too” big and is now one of the, if not the, most highly-coveted bags in existence. The bag has pockets on the inside and a lock on the outside for security. The price of a single Birkin bag ranges from $10,000 to $40,000, and saying it’s difficult to get your hands on one would be an understatement. You can’t just simply walk into an Hermès store and buy a Birkin; You most often have to build a relationship with a sales associate over time, buying thousands of dollars of Hermès goods before being offered the opportunity to purchase a Birkin. This lengthy, expensive process is part of what makes the Birkin bag an “elitist” handbag.
The Walmart Birkin dupe, aka the “Wirkin”
Walmart.com recently released two Birkin bag dupes that have taken social media by storm. One was retailing for $79 each and the other retailed for $102, aka tens of thousands of dollars less than the Hermès bag. The bags went quickly, with influencers and regular consumers alike snatching them up. They were sold out, and now, have been completely removed from Walmart’s website (begging the question, is there a legal complaint from Hermès?).
The Walmart Birkin dupe is being called the “Wirkin”, a cross between “Walmart” and “Birkin.” On social media, users are also saying it’s called the “Wirkin” because it’s the “Birkin bag for the working class.” There have been lots of vocal opinions on both sides, but the “Wirkin” has seemingly won over the majority thanks to its accessibility.
@kaleighdurkin My Wirkin from Walmes is here! #xyzcba #fyp #hauls #birkin #walmart #walmes #wirkin #unboxing
Celebrity and influencer Bethenny Frankel also shared her thoughts on the Wirkin, saying it has “broken the glass ceiling.”
@bethennyfrankel This bag has disrupted the luxury space and broken the glass ceiling #bag #handbag #hermes #walmart #knockoff #dupe #luxury #disruptive #fascinating
While some say that the Walmart Birkin dupe is a disruptor in the elitist, luxury retail space, and a hit on Hermès, others say that Hermès is not going to be affected by this, as dupes of the Birkin have been around for years.
@brookeonair Have you seen the fake Birkin drama?? What do we think? #walmart #fake #wirkin #birkin #greenscreenvideo
Would you consider buying a “Wirkin”? We’ll keep an eye out for a restock and to see if Walmart adds the Birkin bag dupe back to their website.
