The Case Against the “Wirkin’”
A far trip from Fifth Avenue, the world’s most notable bag has recently given a run for its money at middle America’s favorite retailer. Though Wal-Mart is significantly less French than iconic couture house Hermes, both brands are under the lens of comparison as the Birkin dupe has gone viral on TikTok.
Playfully referred to as “The Wirkin” by Gen Z fashion lovers who aren’t against a good knockoff, the bag has been seen on shelves for as low as $78.
The dupe in question refers to the legendary Birkin bag, named after actress Jane Birkin in 1984. The bag came to be after Birkin’s search for a bag that could hold all of the items she needed as a new mother. The Birkin bag, with starting prices reaching five figures, quickly became a symbol of luxury and prestige, so much so that a prospective buyer has to develop a relationship with Hermes store associates. A commitment to the Hermes brand is crucial, and clients will often have to buy several distinct Hermes items before the word “Birkin” is even mentioned. There is never a guarantee that a given Birkin will be available, and since there is a fixed amount of Birkin bags each store receives, it is entirely up to the store associates to decide who is worthy of wielding such an accessory.
This process may prove to be too tiresome and unnecessary for the Gen Z consumer who has gotten used to instant gratification with social media and the rise of online shopping. Having the chance to carry a bag that looks extremely similar to the real thing for one percent of the cost means shelves become barren within days. The bag receiving countless headlines from publications like People, USA Today, and Business Insider comes from the brand Liagile. Upon doing a quick Google search, the brand is nowhere to be found. Though the bags were temporarily removed from the Wal-Mart website, the fervent uproar over the “Walmès” bags has started to re-introduce an important conversation about counterfeit culture.
With the discovery of the bag being posted for all to see, critics and fans alike have not been shy in posting their opinions. Some supporters of the dupe enjoy the idea of finally having a budget-friendly version of the bag and feeling the Hermes fantasy, while critics of the bag claim that the dupe ruins the exclusivity and legacy of the Birkin. Is ignorance really bliss - do the Canal Street versions of these luxury goods work just as well as the real thing? Ironically, Walmart also sells authentic Birkin bags on their website through re-sellers - but ironically it is the Hermes dupes that are starting to appear on resale websites. How obsessed with the idea of loud luxury is our generation if knockoffs are entering the resale market?
Since fashion is the ultimate form of self-expression, passing judgement on the owners of these coveted dupes seems a bit facetious. That being said, these bags will never compare to the quality of an Hermes Birkin bag. Even for the $78 price point, which will undoubtedly decrease as more “brands” produce these counterfeit bags for smaller production costs, consumers can find original, beautiful bags. It’s hard to not feel a bit of disdain for those clamoring over getting the dupe of a legendary piece. In the same vein of artificial intelligence writing essays that should have been done by students, taking the $78 dupe of a piece the ordinary person may never acquire feels like taking the easy way out.