A version of the famous Hermès Birkin bag sold at Walmart has become popular on social media, sparking a major shift in the way luxury marketers think about cheaper versions of their products.
Bags similar to the Birkin bag have been making the rounds on social media in recent weeks. Sotheby’s says genuine leather Birkin bags purchased directly from the store start at $9,000 and can sell for more than $30,000 depending on factors such as size, color, material and condition. Copy versions of the bag, which sold for about $80, were made by third-party sellers named Kamugo and Aidrani and sold on Walmart’s marketplace. Walmart has since removed the bag’s listing from its website.
The bag first started gaining attention when influencers like Bethenny Frankel, Nia Chai, and Meredith Swanson started posting on TikTok about its similarities to the Hermès version. When you watch the video, you can see that the quality of the bag is surprisingly good, contrary to expectations. For example, the front buckle and overall shape of the fake bag resembles the Hermès version.
Fake Birkins have raised questions about how luxury brands like Hermès protect their designs and whether high-quality fake luxury bags will flood the market, giving marketers a huge headache. may have an impact.
“Many might argue that these camos fill a gap in the market. While serving as a marketing tool for the original version, they also serve as a marketing tool for those who cannot afford or may not purchase the premium version. We are meeting a high consumer need,” said CEO Brendan Gahan. Co-founder of influencer marketing company Creator Authority. “They only emphasize the unattainability of the original.”
Hermès, Walmart, Audrani and Camgo did not respond to requests for comment.
Luxury marketers still focus on quality
Designer copy bags have been around for years. Luxury brands have historically addressed this issue by marketing their products as authentic, with high-quality craftsmanship. Birkin bags are made to order, and Hermès requires customers to join a waiting list before purchasing a bag. It’s not uncommon for customers to be on waiting lists for years.
Anna Angélique, a brand executive, author and luxury goods marketing expert, says this process means genuine Hermes fans are less likely to buy a fake bag and less likely to end up on a waiting list. said to mean.
“Hermès has nothing to worry about in terms of those rare customers who know they’ve waited three years for a limited-edition Birkin,” Angelique said.
Angelique doesn’t think fakes will affect Hermès’ profits because the bags maintain standards of quality and craftsmanship that cannot be duplicated.
“In visual culture, images can be reproduced. That’s why there are so many fakes and imitations in circulation,” Angélique said.
How luxury brands can protect themselves
This raises the question of how luxury brands like Hermès can effectively protect themselves from copying and imitation of their designs by copy brands.
The success of the fake Birkin shows that luxury brands need to protect the shape and design of their bags. According to Forbes, Hermès owns the trademark for the Birkin bag, including its unique shape.
Brands have the option of filing patents and trademarks, but they should also be part of the social media conversation about counterfeit products, says Kaila, director of consumer strategy and insights at Salesforce. Schwartz said.
According to Salesforce data, Schwartz said handbags were the fastest growing product category during the holiday season and showed strong performance throughout 2024.
Fashion brands could take inspiration from beauty brands
Beauty brands might give an example of how fashion brands should recognize cheaper versions of their products.
Beauty brands such as e.lf. MCoBeauty and MCoBeauty lean heavily toward developing cheaper versions of high-end products, and even make that a big part of their marketing.
“Will we ever see apparel and handbags start to move into places where beauty already exists? I think that’s a possibility,” Schwartz said.
Brands like Steve Madden and Mango are already doing this, producing high-quality imitations of luxury bags at lower prices.
However, this trend is unlikely to harm genuine Hermès shoppers.
“The unit economics of building something of this scale and quality are insane,” Angelique said.
