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.

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

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.

In a world where goods are more accessible than ever thanks to the online market space and the huge rise in “dupes” (or products made to be a duplicate of a high-end product for a lower cost), it’s easier than ever to get your hands on whatever you’ve been eyeing—without breaking the bank.

Budget-conscious buyers looking for luxury alternatives have flocked to Walmart’s Birkin bag look-alike, nicknamed the “Wirkin.”