The Birkin has a new rival and this one is way more affordable

Want to own a Birkin? The internet has an affordable version for your aesthetic. No long wait, not burning big hole in the pocket.Jelly Firkin is the latest viral fashion in town (Photo: AI Generative)"It's not a bag, it's a Birkin."That's simply the Hermes Birkin aura. It always has been.But you cannot simply walk in and purchase one for yourself. There's a full procedure in place that leads to a Birkin bag, and it's not for everyone. You don't get to choose a Birkin, the Birkin chooses you. The elite exclusivity is what builds the allure too.This 'It' bag has been and still is the aspiration for many. But will it remain unsurpassable forever? On that note, presenting to you the latest fashion flex in town: Jelly Firkin. Some call it the funky cousin of Birkin. It definitely looks the part. These colourful jelly bags are currently going viral for their vibrant colours, similar Birkin silhouette and relatively—and most importantly—a very affordable price range. Can the Jelly Firkins take over the Birkin? Recently, Anoushka Sarkar, a lifestyle content creator, shared a Reel unboxing her yellow Firkin. Earlier, cosmetic brand owner Mrunal Panchal also flaunted her pink Jelly Firkin. A few K-pop stars, have also been spotted with one of these. What's a frickin' Jelly Firkin?In the most earnest sense, these quite literally are all over the internet. It's only a matter of time before one lands on your feed. Consider yourself warned.The name 'Jelly Firkin' has a quirky ring to it. Firkin is a fun wordplay on 'fake Birkin', as it is more like a deliberate attempt to replicate the Hermes Birkin shape. It has the structured shape, top handles and instantly recognisable Birkin silhouette. But instead of buttery leather and Hermes hardware, it comes in squishy, translucent, candy-coloured PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). The latter is more eco-friendly. (L) OG Birkin bag - AFP, (R) Jelly Firkin - the firkinjelly.com) In a way, it also taps into the Y2K nostalgia for jelly fashion. Remember the jelly shoe resurgence?While there is no guaranteed trace of who was first in their bloodline to label and make these, at the moment, these bags are available on multiple websites, even in India. And that too at a fraction of the cost of what an original Birkin would cost. Much like a Birkin, Jelly Firkin can also carry it all (Photo: Getty) In India, they are available from Rs 2,100 and upwards, depending on different sites and different materials. This is a TPU, high quality firkin (Photo: firkinjelly.com) The viral X factorThe bag is available in a vibrant colour palette like salmon pink, aqua, lime green, butter yellow, purple and so on. Add those bag charms, and it will become your own Jane Birkin jelly story.Then there's the nostalgia factor of the jelly bags. The Firkin fits neatly into the current obsession with dupe culture. Why spend lakhs when you can get the look, have fun with it and still have money left for, well, another bag? Jelly Firkins are amking a wave and even luxury bag owners want one for themselves (Photo: Getty) Now, unlike an original Birkin, this dupe has some perks. It can easily survive raindrops and no one will skip a heartbeat. It can even brave through a minor food spill, a placement on the table and be happily taken to the pool.Interestingly, even the original luxury bag collectors are buying it and calling it "cool."New York-based fashion enthusiast Natalie Mileo, who owns 10 Hermes bags, told the New York Post that she likes the Jelly Firkin. "Some people might be mad because they paid so much for a Birkin, and now there are these cute knockoffs. But I’m like, ‘Relax. It’s a joke," she said.The Birkin updateLast year, the most coveted bag in fashion was auctioned for a historic $10.1 million (Rs 86,72,76,622) at Sotheby's. It was the OG black Birkin, actually made for actress Jane Birkin and her very commonplace need to have a bag that fits everything.Well, the Jelly Firkin does the job too. It was just a happenstance, one common problem, and a vomit bag that led to the creation of the Hermes Birkin bag (Photo: AFP) For the longest time, these Birkins have been seen as an investment. But now, these are becoming "harder to look at as investments." Famous fashion critic Amy Odell recently reported how "average prices of sold bags have fallen roughly $2,500 on the resale market since January 2025."In fact, the New York Post reported how people are not as interested in purchasing a Birkin, amidst growing competition in luxury bags.Jelly Firkin needs to be aware of HermesBefore the Firkin, Jelly Kelly had hit the shelves in 2003. They also went viral but soon faced a cease-and-desist notice from Hermes for producing knock-off designs of their intellectual property.So far, these jelly bags haven't officially received a legal notice yet, but people are speculating that they are already missing from certain US markets and maybe Hermes is onto something.The Birkin remains one of the most valuable and collectible handbags in the world. Several Indian celebrities like Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Nita Ambani and Janhvi Kapoor have also sported these.Jelly Firkin might be getting the uber-cool spotlight for now, but it does not compete in terms of the craftsmanship and heritage of the Birkin. While you can simply buy this one, the IT bag holds the aura for a reason.- EndsPublished By: Jigyasa SahayPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 17:15 IST