Walmart's Affordable Luxury Lookalikes: Frugal or Fast Fashion?

A real Birkin bag from Hermés can cost upwards of $10,000 at a Hermés boutique if you can get access to one. Some variations have exclusive waitlists and can sell for hundreds of thousands. But Walmart has released a convincing — and much cheaper — dupe of the infamous and highly-coveted bag.

The look-a-like, nick-named “Walmés,” is under $100 and has sold out on Walmart's website. The release has sparked an online debate using the hashtag #walmartbirkin.

Social media users are praising the mass availability of a bag often seen as a wealth status symbol, while others are criticizing the bags — calling them cheap and saying the company is promoting fast fashion.

"It's just a nice feeling to have something that's affordable and accessible to everyone," said one Walmart customer who purchased the Walmés bag. "I think it's a great product."

Whether you see the Walmés as a symbol of frugal luxury or fast fashion, there's no denying its impact on the market.