Buying an Hermès Birkin bag, the leather, top-handle tote inspired by the late Jane Birkin, is a rarified experience by design. Birkin ownership is one of fashion's most elite clubs on account of its price (starting in the five figures) and its scarcity (bags are only accessible to longstanding clients). To put it in celebrity terms: Jennifer Lopez's extensive collection is an exception, not a rule. But a look-alike, so-called "Walmart Birkin" bag's overnight popularity has the internet debating what it means to buy an It-bag.
In December, Walmart listed a $78-dollar bag imitating the Birkin's top handles, lock detail, and square compartment. It didn't take long for shoppers to clock the resemblance to the real deal—and for some to declare buying one a chance to reassess the definition of luxury. Over the holidays, over one thousand TikTok videos of creators unboxing their Walmart Birkins have amassed millions of views. Satisfied shoppers said that their purchases telegraphed wealth on a tight budget. Some even bought more than one. Meanwhile, fashion historians and critics noted how the materials, production processes, and overall feel weren't similar to a real Birkin at all—and that buying a copy underscores the impact of the original.
Yet, for many shoppers, the debate is part of the fun. "The bags are super cute, and the fact that they are making people so mad is an added bonus," one user commented on a Walmart Birkin reveal with more than 24,000 likes.
@courtneyzanee24 ♬ original sound - Frankie Bleau
@lastinglooks ♬ original sound - Lasting Looks with Jules
All the back-and-forth, in part, emphasizes how great of an impact Hermès's tote had on the luxury market to begin with. The Birkin wasn't immediately a status item when it was released in 1984 on Jane Birkin's request for a stylish diaper bag. Over time, it steadily gained a cult following through scarcity marketing tactics (Birkins are produced by hand in extremely limited quantities), celebrity street style, and pointed references in pop culture. One early episode of Sex and the City has an entire plot revolving around Samantha's quest to get on the Birkin list, for example.
The Birkin bag has had many imitators over the years. Just take a walk down New York City's Canal St. or head to DH-Gate or Temu for proof. But few have been as readily available and blatantly similar as the "Wirkin," shoppable for less than $100 with instant shipping. This phenomenon has sparked online discussions about whether a copycat bag can match the appeal of the original, particularly given the strong demand for the Walmart version, which has reportedly sold out in several markets.
One thing's for sure: Unpacking the Walmart Birkin controversy isn't as simple as a "What's in My Bag" tour. But the following is a start.
What Is the Walmart Birkin?
Whether you're carrying one or not, the "Wirkin" isn't going to trick the trained eye. In no way affiliated with the original designer, the bag comes from four third-party sellers listed within Walmart's online store, including Judy, Kamugo, Bestspr, and Ymtq. The under-$100 top-handle style is sold in several colors and purports to be made from genuine leather. Some versions are matched with a coordinating scarf wrapped around the handle. Listing details for the bags don't reference Hermès directly, but the inspiration is evident in the shape, size, and lock clasp.
The Birkin isn't the only bag with a third-party dupe on the retailer. Imitation versions of the Kelly bag and Bottega Veneta woven bags are also available.
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The Birkin, however, has gone viral because of shoppers who've purchased a Walmart Birkin and instructed other shoppers to join the trend. They have a few reasons for touting what fashion critics call a dupe. First, they say it's making luxury more accessible by translating an exclusive status symbol into a mass-produced accessory for a tiny percentage of the original cost. Second, they categorize the move as taking power back from big brands. In their eyes, the Wirkin is indistinguishable from the original—diluting the first bag's storied reputation and eye-watering prices. Third, a few purchasers have joked that the trend is a form of collector's item—their way of remembering 2025 culture decades from now.
Fashion critics, legal scholars, and general TikTok users have all debated these points at length. Wirkin shoppers have hit back that even criticizing the bag is a form of classism.
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Why Is the Walmart Birkin Controversial?
The great Wirkin debate touches on several bigger questions plaguing the fashion industry right now. First, there is the distance between a brand's perceived power and the prices its products command. Second, and perhaps most tellingly, is the question of who can (and should) have access to luxury goods.
Let's start with prices. Wirkin supporters say their discount find undermines the sky-high prices of the original Birkin. Other fashion voices, like critic and stylist @jesicaelise, disagree. Hermès's products are what economists call Veblen goods: Items that experience an increase in demand as their prices rise. Shoppers are more willing to pursue them explicitly because they're exclusive.
For Hermès, what the bag stands for is as important as the bag itself: Birkin bags are handmade in France and created for a hyper-specific client living at the upper-upper echelons of Hollywood, business, and media. Each bag is crafted by artisans who spend several years in training; they're meant to be cherished. The Wirkin, meanwhile, is mass-produced and not necessarily from traceable materials; it's made for someone who wants to dip into the feeling of carrying a Birkin à la J.Lo without living the actual lifestyle. The Wirkin, in other words, is repackaging a fraction of what the Birkin actually offers—hence the extreme difference in cost. (Or, as one TikTok commenter wrote under an unboxing video: "We all broke but we still deserve to look cute too.")
Further, critics point out that a Wirkin is, actually, quite easy to ID. Shoppers might be telling on themselves for carrying a counterfeit based on the rest of their outfit's styling, the place they're carrying the bag, or how the bag holds up over time.
This point gestures at the bigger issue at play: the complex relationship between luxury and accessibility. Desire for a well-crafted, competent handbag isn't dependent on tax bracket. But the Hermès Birkin (and its sister bag, the Kelly) is purposefully exclusive. This rankles people who believe all fashion should be available to everyone; but luxury, as a business, requires a high barrier to entry. Part of the appeal is that not everyone has it.
As such, TikTok claims that the Wirkin will ultimately make the original bag "irrelevant" are overblown. There might be a run on the Walmart version because it's a conversational point now. Check back on the dupe in a few years: Will the materials last as well as a true leather Birkin, or age as gracefully? Probably not. But the original Birkin, like styles from Louis Vuitton and Chanel, has held its value for decades. Even if there's a dip in pop culture popularity, it's not completely going away—because it was leagues ahead of any knock-offs to begin with.
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@jesicaelise they’ll say i’m elitist instead of elucidating, but whatever. the rue de sèvres boutique is breathtaking.
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So far, Hermès hasn't acknowledged its superstore counterpart in any official capacity. If it does, it might be through its lawyers. WWD reports that there are substantive grounds for the luxury house to seek legal action against Walmart for infringing on its copyright. “To the extent Walmart is promoting the bag as the equivalent of, or an alternative to, the Birkin bag, it would be hard for them to deny that intentional copying,” fashion lawyer Douglas Hand told the outlet.
Where Are Real Birkin Bags Sold?
Purchasing a genuine, freshly-stitched Birkin bag is not so easy as logging on to a major retailer's website. Nor is it as simple as walking into an Hermès boutique: The bags aren't even displayed in the stores.
Instead, given that Birkin (and Kelly) bags are made in limited quantities, Hermès sales associates often invite long-time clients to purchase new bags. In many situations, clients do not pick the exact shade of leather or hardware finish; the brand offers it to them to purchase. Many lucky shoppers have documented the process on TikTok—a glimpse behind the luxury curtain that's come all the way back to the Walmart Birkin discourse.
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Shopping for a gently used Birkin bag is a different story. Luxury consignors have benefitted from the lore around "beat-up Birkins"—that is, bags whose leather has developed a patina. Sites including eBay, Fashionphile, The RealReal, FWRD, and Vestiaire Collective have authenticators dedicated to sourcing authentic Birkin bags in need of a second home. These listings typically retain their value, selling for just as much as (if not more than) a fresh handbag.
There's another place to track down a previously loved Birkin bag if you're up for it: Walmart itself. The retailer has quietly listed pre-owned luxury items in a special section of its site, just a few clicks away from its controversial Wirkins.
