In America, labels are everything. We put labels on our food in our fridge, dates on our calendars, and even clothing. People even spend $10,000 on a label. As unreasonable as it sounds to pay that much for a name, it’s not just the name they are paying for; the minute you slap a label on a leather bag, the value increases. The Hermès Birkin bag is a designer bag made with rare, heritage, handmade leather with space for baby bottles; this bag retails for around $10,400. Isabella DiGiovanna a 10th grader at Coral Glades says, “If I had 50,000 dollars I would buy it but I think the Walmart one is a good alternative to the expensive one however it’s kind of disappointing that some people are spending their hard-earned money on a fake bag at Walmart”

I’m sure we have all heard of the retailer Walmart. At Walmart you can buy everything at a reasonable price; however, the products sold are not brand name. The lack of luxury and designer products does not stop the Walmart corporation from selling their product similar to the original. Nowadays you can find the ‘dupe’ for almost every brand name product.

Recently Walmart has taken the media by storm when they started selling a handbag very similar to the Hermès Birkin. People view the Walmart Birkin, or the ‘Wirkin,’ as a form of inclusivity. The Wirkin has gained so much popularity not only due to the price but also due to its similarity to the real thing. Consumers love the idea that they can buy a product that looks designer without spending an arm and a leg. However, on the other side of the internet, people are left wondering, “Does the duplication of a product decrease the value?” While in some cases the answer could be yes, in Wirkin’s case the answer is no. When it comes to certain brands, like Louis Vuitton, that are known for using their logo as a pattern on their designs, the value could decrease as fake versions of the product could make the logo look overused and cheap. Since the only thing on the Hermès Birkin that makes it specific to the designer is the Hermès name, Walmart isn’t exactly copying the original Birkin bag; rather, it is inspired by its design.
Although the Wirkin looks similar to the Birkin, the quality does not even begin to compare to that of the original.

The Hermes Birkin is named after the famous English-French singer, Jane Birkin. In the 1980s she complained that Hermes doesn’t have a bag that holds all the essentials a woman needs. She was a mother at this time which is why the bag has a space for a baby bottle. Her style was seen as iconic at this time and she had a heavy influence on the fashion industry.  The backstory of the original Birkin cannot be copied which is another reason why the Wirkin will never hold the authenticity of the Hermes.

There are definite reasons why the Hermes bag is worth the money; some just don’t see the point in buying the bag. 11th grader Marissa Fogelman says “The bag is overpriced and is feeding to consumerism. It’s pointless to spend that much on a bag that you can get for a cheaper price”