Image of the Hermes Birkin bag dupe
Credit: Walmart.com
A dupe of the designer Hermes Birkin Bag, being sold for $100 at Walmart, has seen a huge spike in demand.
Launched in 1984 by the French fashion house, Hermes is a mark of luxury and exclusivity. An authentic Birkin bag's price ranges from $9,000 at a Hermes boutique or $18,000 to $2,25,000 on resale platforms and auctioned pieces according to the report by Mint.
People are clamouring to get their hands on the 'Walmart Birkin' or 'Wirkin' as it is being called. Tactfully named as 'Walmes' on Walmart's website, multiple versions of the 'Wirkin' are available.
One style is priced at $78 to $102 depending on the size, but has become widely popular in the US that it is sold out online and has sparked a debate on social media.
This aptly highlights the trend of 'dupes' that is becoming popular in even the fashion industry. Consumers are looking for alternatives to high-end, luxury and designer items.
One user praised Walmart for making a Birkin bag uncool, while another said it embodied the motto “eat the rich” because a once-coveted handbag is suddenly available for the masses albeit, as a dupe.
"A bag should not cost more than a house,” one user commented. “I’m here for the Walmart Birkin bag.” While another said, “The Walmart birkin bag is called a wirkin and it’s for the wirkin class,”