They are fake Birkin “Wirkin”.
Fashionistas are scrambling to get their hands on the Walmart Birkin (also known as the Workin). That’s because the budget-friendly retailer is now selling a wallet that appears to be inspired by expensive Hermès handbags.
Authentic Birkin bags are loved by big stars and are extremely difficult to obtain, but they also come at a hefty price. Prices are estimated to range from $9,000 at Hermès boutiques to hundreds of thousands more at resale and auction.
At Walmart, a convincing camo costs less than $100.
“For $80, you can pretend you’ve got a Birkin,” one content creator named Christy said in a viral video posted this month in which she promoted a new emerald handbag.
“I mean, we can probably all tell that’s not it, because who the hell has the money to spend on a real Birkin?”
Multiple versions of Wirkin are available on Walmart’s website, cheekily nicknamed Wolmes. Depending on size, some styles cost between $78 and $102, but they’re so popular that they sell out online, sparking debate online.
TikTokkers flock to the chain retailer to get their hands on one or more of the hottest handbags, with hundreds of unboxing and transport videos posted under the tag “#walmartbirkin.” Meanwhile, critics of the seemingly unobtainable handbag are celebrating what they believe is the downfall of a status symbol for the super-rich.
One creator praised the Wal-Mart bag as “a cheap Birkin bag,” in other words, it was lame, while another said the once-coveted handbag was suddenly available in large quantities, even though it was a duck. Because of its availability, he said it embodies the mantra of “eat the rich.”
“A bag shouldn’t cost more than a house,” one user commented online. “I came to buy a Birkin bag from Walmart.”
“Walmart’s Birkin bag is called a workin’, but it’s for the working class,” another person quipped.
“Rich people all over the world will be giving up their Birkins now,” someone wrote. “Once camo is available, that’s fine, but it devalues the item. I’m all for that.”
But not everyone agreed.
Luxury lovers are outraged by counterfeit bags, and this craze for camo has fueled fast fashion and the craftsmanship and artistry required to handcraft authentic Birkins, which are sewn together in almost one place by designer brands. He claimed that it was “completely ignored”. He has about 20 ateliers in France.
Critics claimed carrying around a fake was a “humiliating ritual”, while others said they would never buy a fake bag because they “like the quality too much”.
At Hermès, Birkins are notoriously difficult to purchase due to their rarity, and vintage enthusiasts and those desperate for a luxury handbag are encouraged to turn to their favorite styles for sale second-hand. It has become.
Rumors have been circulating for years that the famous Birkin is only available to Hermès customers who spend a certain amount of money, but the label’s artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas recently revealed that the myth has been dispelled. exposed the error.
“It’s funny to think that this is a diabolical marketing idea that only comes from people who are obsessed with marketing,” he told CBS News. “But Hermès doesn’t have a marketing department.”
“Whatever we have, put it on the shelf and it’s gone,” he added.
He explained that because the bags are meticulously handcrafted by skilled artisans, the manufacturing process is time-consuming and unable to keep up with the rapidly increasing demand.
However, he noted that it’s not impossible to buy a Birkin if you have the means and a little patience.
“Eventually it will happen,” he said.
