The iconic Birkin has a younger sister. The new it-bag for summer 2025 is the quintessence of "Riviera luxury"

It has scuffs, stains and gold hardware – and it costs more than $1,200. Boatkin, the Philadelphia-based handbag designer, is making a splash on social media and redefining luxury.

It’s garnering hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok , has inspired influencers on Instagram, and The New York Times has devoted a separate segment to it. We’re talking about the Boatkin – a bag that burst onto the fashion scene and immediately divided public opinion. Created by Hathaway Hutton , a small studio in Philadelphia, it’s a surprising fusion of the luxurious Birkin by Hermès and the canvas tote by LLBean .

Boatkin Bag – A Viral TikTok Phenomenon / Hathaway Hutton

Boatkin is a creative reimagining of the iconic L.L.Bean Boat and Tote , transformed into a silhouette reminiscent of the Hermès Birkin . Each piece is handcrafted from used, often battered bags that, let’s be honest, bear traces of their “previous lives”—stains, scuffs, marker writing. What other brands try to hide, Hathaway Hutton exposes as a symbol of authenticity.

Boatkin - a handbag that combines the style of a Birkin with a canvas tote bag / Hathaway Hutton

The result is a product that combines practicality with luxury. Leather straps and gold fittings are a nod to haute couture , but the preserved patina and "old life" of the material clearly signal: this is luxury, only authentic .

Jen Risk, founder of Hathaway Hutton, describes her creation as “quiet luxury with a smirk.” And it’s hard to sum it up better than that. Boatkin doesn’t pretend to be a Birkin . Quite the opposite—it defiantly challenges the idea that luxury has to be new, pristine, and unattainable. Boatkin is a bag you can spill coffee on without feeling guilty. In theory, of course, because the stain itself will hurt, but the wallet.

Boatkin - a viral bag combining the Birkin style with a canvas tote bag / Hathaway Hutton, Facebook

Boatkin’s prices start at $1,200 for customer-supplied versions and go up to $1,600 for versions created entirely by the studio. That’s a lot—especially considering we’re talking about a $35 repurposed bag. But for hundreds of customers (more than 700 sold and a six-month waiting list), price isn’t the main factor.

So where does this interest come from? Imperfect, hand-made, full of history – Boatkin is part of a new trend of defining luxury not through glitz, but through character, idea and sustainable creative process. Boatkin has definitely become a symbol of responsible and authentic fashion, and this is now in demand.