A Word on the 'Wirkin': The Problem with Dupes

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The Hermès Birkin bag look-alike from Walmart, which has been nicknamed the "Wirkin," has sold out following social media buzz. 

(If you’re thinking wait, but first what is a Birkin? Catch up in 4 minutes here.)

“The Walmart Birkin bag is called a Wirkin and it’s for the Wirkin class,” a TikTok user wrote.

The viral success of this affordable alternative has ignited an ongoing debate online, as shoppers flock to Walmart to secure their own version of the bag for less than it costs for 2 people to eat at Five Guys. 

It’s the most recent fashion dupe, but certainly not the first.

“Dupe" culture in the fashion industry is a growing trend, where consumers are all coming for affordable alternatives to high-end, designer items.

This YouTuber even found dupes for each of Oprah’s favorite things last year.

A Morning Consult poll found that:

• 33% of US adults have bought a dupe

• 49% of Gen-Z report shopping for dupes

• 44% of millennials report shopping for dupes

• In the UK, 47% of consumers are open to buying luxury lookalikes in 2024 - a 12% increase from 2016

I would hypothesize that this rise is yet another way that digital connectivity and social media have reshaped the fashion industry.

One influencer gets a dupe and posts the link - thousands of others now have it en route to their homes with the click of a button.

And now we’ve got thousands of girlies on TikTok saying the $78 Walmart bag is so identical to a Birkin that it makes the original one “obsolete.”

I simply can’t agree with this after learning the story and craftsmanship behind the Birkin, I’m sorry. But I respect the opinion.

There’s no denying that the bones of the bag would be hard to decipher if you saw someone walking down the street with either one. 

So, am I gas or pass on the Walmart Birkin?

I’m a pass.

But, I don’t blame the girlies for snagging it. I hope you carry your Wirkin with pride.

The reason I lean even slightly anti-dupe is only because I wish we didn’t care so much about the optics of anything that we sacrificed the quality. 

I doubt the Wirkin stitching is quite as thoughtful and precise as the real thing.

I also doubt people are buying the Wirkin because they just absolutely adore the bag design.

You’re buying it because it looks like you have the status and means to own a Birkin.

I’d rather get a bag I really loved for that $78, instead of spend it in hopes of looking like I can afford the bag that costs more than a Honda Civic.

In 2025, my personal goal is to prioritize quality over optics.

If that looks like spending more, I’ll wait as long as I need to in order to purchase the higher quality item over the instant pleasure of getting a dupe on Amazon to be delivered tomorrow. 

Not having something really never hurt me. And its’s due time I started acting like it.

But the fashion rule that trumps them all, now and forever: you should do whatever you want to do. 

Wirkin’ for a Birkin.

Xo, The Salesgirls

PS. This is 100% an opinion piece. Reply with your thoughts - I can’t wait to hear them!