The rise in dupe culture has infiltrated the luxury market, with counterfeits getting more sophisticated in recent years.

Last week we told you about the crazy hype surrounding the “Wirkin” bag, Walmart’s less expensive version of the Birkin, the classic Hermès tote that has been beloved by the rich and famous for decades.

An inexpensive knockoff of the Birkin bag, an exclusive, extremely sought-after leather handbag by luxury brand Hermès that can sell for more than $400,000 US has launched a rousing debate online about fashion accessibility and copycat ethics.

Fashionistas who’ve long lusted after Hermès exclusive and ultra-expensive Birkin handbag got a pre-holiday treat thanks to Walmart.com. It offered a reasonably close Birkin facsimile bag – dubbed a “Wirkin” on social media for the “working class Birkin” or “Walmart Birkin” – priced around $100, compared to the $10,000 and up for the real thing.

The Hermès Birkin bag has long been a must-have for celebrities, fashionistas, and those who can afford luxury. But what if there was an affordable alternative? Walmart appears to have the answer.

In previous eras of internet culture, mockery of the rich and famous was usually relegated to far-left forums. But as 2025 begins, ridiculing the rich appears to have gone mainstream.