Hermes' prestige challenged by $78 bag

The undisputed master of French craftsmanship, the official representative of exclusivity with its years-long waiting list, and a symbol of both elegance and the poetic chaos of its muse Jane Birkin, the Birkin by Hermès is today one of the most coveted bags in the world. And the dupe market has clearly taken note. During the lull between Christmas and New Year’s, TikTok was flooded with videos of a rectangular leather bag adorned with a lock and a top handle, which bore a striking resemblance to a Birkin, being sold on the American retail giant Walmart’s platform. A few clicks were all it took to make the "Walmart Birkin," also dubbed the “Wirkin,” available in multiple colors and two different sizes, the new must-have bag of the year. While some users scrambled to snag one before it sold out, others questioned its arrival, its success, and, most importantly, its implications. Has the Wirkin struck a nerve in the luxury market and its consumers?

According to users of the Chinese platform who managed to get one before it was removed from sale, the bag (priced at $78, less than one-hundredth of a Hermès Birkin's cost) is considered a legitimate dupe of the real Birkin. It is crafted with materials and a design strikingly similar to the original, despite the absence of the iconic carriage logo on the front. Beyond its striking resemblance to the Birkin, they say, the Wirkin is generally an excellent bag for its $80 price tag, featuring leather (or at least something that looks and smells convincingly like leather), a lock, and golden feet. While it is not the only copy on the market, the fact that a replica of the highly sought-after Hermès bag has garnered so much attention and achieved such massive success reflects a shift in consumer attitudes toward luxury goods. The Walmart Birkin is neither the first nor the last dupe of a luxury handbag to sprout up and flood the market, but this time, it could pose a serious threat to Hermès. This threat arises amidst a backdrop of luxury consumer frustration, contributing to a slowdown in the activities of many luxury brands. While Hermès has managed to weather this generalized luxury crisis, even recording an 11% sales increase in the third quarter compared to the previous year, the brand could also fall victim to this cataclysm if it persists.

The irony of the Wirkin's success lies primarily in the double-edged sword that characterizes the very essence of the Birkin and its modern appeal: while its inaccessibility initially symbolizes all the luxury, exclusivity, and quality it represents, for the average person, it primarily fuels an even more tangible desire to own a similar model, even if that means settling for a plastic version to feel closer to the exclusive circle represented by Hermès. According to a study conducted by HBSC, since the pandemic, the prices of luxury goods have increased by an average of 54%, more than double what they were four years ago. This makes counterfeits an imperfect but affordable and readily available solution for consumers with just a click. While affluent luxury customers unaffected by the crisis have noticed rising prices, the same cannot be said about the quality of products. Faced with a counterfeit market that is increasingly sophisticated, adept at appearances, and meticulous in detail, major brands have cause for concern.

However, when it comes to the legality of these copies, particularly for Walmart, the situation is less straightforward. Although sellers on Walmart.com do not claim their bags to be authentic Birkins, both they and the platform itself could face legal trouble if Hermès determines that these counterfeits infringe on the Birkin's trade dress (its design and configuration that distinguish it from other bags on the market, which are, of course, protected by Hermès). While these copies are far from ethical, purchasing them from an official and legal platform adds a slight air of legitimacy, as explained by Alli Elmunzer, a trademark attorney and founder of Influencer Legal. "People feel more like it’s Walmart creating and selling it, which almost legitimizes it as a counterfeit," she told BOF. They think, "Okay, it’s from Walmart. If Walmart is doing it, it must be legal."

This immediate and overt availability of counterfeits could well initiate a vicious cycle: luxury replicas are available in large quantities and high quality, consumers snap them up, the pieces (real or fake) go viral on social media, more consumers decide they must have them at any cost, they turn to the extensive counterfeit market, and so on. The focus is no longer on owning a quality bag or a timeless piece; instead, consumers are driven by the desire to acquire social status, even at the expense of ethics and legitimacy. The success of the Wirkin should serve as a wake-up call for luxury brands, reminding them that a significant number of consumers unhesitatingly and guiltlessly turn to replicas when faced with unattainable and unrealistic prices that often fail to match the expected quality. It is time for major luxury houses to recalibrate their offerings and realign with their clientele before they completely desert their stores, no matter how much prettier they may be than Walmart’s wide aisles.