This year’s favourite ‘Birkin’ is made of plastic instead of hand-stitched leather, but it’s just ₩30,000.
The jelly bag looks exactly like a Birkin from Hermes – but those start at around ₩15mil, and that’s only if you can get your hands on one.
Kya from KiiKii recently sported the jelly Birkin, called a Firkin, short for “fake Birkin”, in the concept photos of her group’s second EP, Delulu Pack, proving that the jelly bag is one of the must-have items for this summer.
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The Firkin dates back to the early 2000s and is purposely designed to look like a Birkin.
Unlike many other transparent PVC summer bags, the Firkin comes in vivid half-translucent colours that faintly show what’s inside the bag.
Firkin bags, which can easily be purchased through shopping outlets such as Coupang, Temu or Zigzag, are trending on social media on the back of the Y2K fashion trend.
Those priced at around ₩30,000 to ₩40,000 are classified as B-grade Firkins, which means consumers can get them in about a day or two, but the bags might have some stains or might be missing the keys to the iconic Birkin lock.
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Those priced at around ₩100,000 are better quality, often featuring detailed stitching resembling that of a Birkin.
Firkins have taken on a meme quality among shoppers, framed less as a substitute for an unaffordable luxury bag than as a knowing fashion choice.
Coming in vivid colours, it can easily be styled in summer with a simple T-shirt and denim look.
It’s also essentially waterproof, making it the perfect beach, poolside and festival bag. – The Korea Herald
