I’m a New Englander through and through. I spent childhood summers swimming in New Hampshire lakes or frolicking on the beaches of Southern Maine.
And wherever I went, an L.L. Bean Boat and Tote was always in the mix. Monogrammed, oversized, and packed with snacks, sunscreen, and sandy towels, it was the bag that never let me down.
To this day, there is always a Boat and Tote hiding somewhere at our family beach house — ready to be tossed in the car or hauled down to the sand when the moment calls for it.
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Though the canvas is a little softer now, it holds everything and somehow still feels cool, in that effortless, practical New England way.
But like most people, my taste has evolved.
I still love the no-nonsense appeal of a Boat and Tote. But I also can’t help but fantasize about the Hermès Birkin, that grail-level icon of luxury handbags.
It’s aspirational, expensive, and in some ways, totally absurd. Which makes it kind of perfect.
So when I came across a bag that mashed up both — the Birkin and the Boat and Tote— I did a double take.
Ladies and gentleman, this one is SPECIAL.
The unexpected child of the Hermes Birkin and L.L. Bean Boat and Tote
Enter the Boatkin.
The Boatkin is a handmade, tongue-in-cheek luxury bag from the brand Hathaway Hutton. Dreamed up by founder Jen Risk, the Boatkin fuses the iconic silhouette and hardware of the Hermès Birkin with the familiar canvas and stitching of the L.L. Bean classic.
According to the New York Times, Risk launched the Boatkin earlier this year. And while it may have started as a playful one-off, the bag has quickly become part of a much larger — and growing — conversation in fashion: the rise of the dupe.
From TikTok-famous Stanley cup lookalikes to the now-infamous Wirkin, dupes have become a defining trend in fashion, blurring the line between homage and knockoff.
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They signal status without the sky-high price, and let consumers buy into the look of a lifestyle without the gatekeeping.
The Boatkin, with its wink at two iconic brands, offers a different kind of flex — one that says, “I get the joke.”
It also reflects a generational shift. Consumers are increasingly seeking individuality, irony, and access, even in their luxury purchases.
The Boatkin doesn’t pretend to be a Birkin, and that’s exactly the point.
Birkin and other luxury copycats are big business
What began as a playful fashion trend is now a fast-moving market.
Social media has supercharged the demand for lookalike luxury, with content creators posting “dupe hauls” and brands scrambling to deliver lower-cost versions of high-end designs.
According to a report from WARC, approximately 31% of adults have purchased a dupe, with the number rising to 49% among Gen Z and 44% among millennials.
The Boatkin taps into that momentum, but stands apart in its craftsmanship.
Where many dupes are mass-produced, Risk’s creations are made by hand, often using customer-supplied materials.
That limited scale adds exclusivity — ironic, given the concept’s populist appeal. But it’s exactly this contradiction that makes the Boatkin feel so of-the-moment.
The legal gray area surrounding designer-inspired goods remains a hot topic. And as luxury fashion contends with shifting consumer values, brands may have to reckon with more than just copycats. They’ll have to compete with creators who remix heritage with humor, yet still command a waitlist.
For now, the Boatkin remains a standout. Not because it’s trying to be a Birkin, but because it’s not.
It’s a reminder that in today’s fashion landscape, the cleverest accessory might be the one that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
And for me? Let's just say…I’m not not on the waitlist.
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