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.

The world biggest retailer Walmart launched handbags that look similar to Hermes. While unrelated to the Birkin - TikTok has fallen in love with the $78 product.

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.

The viral Walmart ‘Birkin,’ or ‘Wirkin,” sold out in days and is no longer listed on Walmart.com. Here are a few alternatives to structured, elegant handbags at any budget.

By contrast, Walmart’s Wirkin bag represented an affordable way for everyday shoppers to embrace the Birkin aesthetic. The bags became a viral sensation on TikTok, where users celebrated the design as a playful jab at the inaccessibility of luxury goods.

Walmart is adding tens of thousands of pre-owned luxury handbags, jewelry and watches to its marketplace through a partnership with resale platform Rebag.

Walmart seems to have been paying close attention to all the hubbub about its so-called "Walmart Birkin" or "Wirkin"—the under-$80 Hermès imitator that skyrocketed to viral fame after it was tracked down by TikTokers this winter.