Pharrell Williams’ $1 Million Dollar “Millionaire” Speedy Bag Draws The Attention Of PETA

Pharrell Williams made a name for himself in the music industry due to his various chart-topping hits. While the hitmaker is often in the headlines for his music, this time he finds himself in hot waters with PETA.

Earlier this year, Louis Vuitton made the bold move of naming Pharrell Williams the men’s creative director. Since his new position, Williams displayed his first collection at Paris Men’s Fashion Week in June 2023.

The 50-year-old singer is turning heads again by introducing a new crocodile-skin handbag which will cost a whopping $1 million. While the handbag might seem like a fashion statement to some, PETA thinks it’s straight-out animal cruelty.

According to TMZ Hip Hop, PETA sent an open letter which was written by its Senior VP Lisa Lange. The letter which was addressed to Williams is filled with references from his songs as it expresses disappointment at the newest handbag.

“When you were made men’s creative director of Louis Vuitton, we hoped animals would get lucky and that you would choose vegan fabrics, which are the preference of today’s ethical and environmentally conscious consumers. But we aren’t happy to note your newest design, the “Millionaire” Speedy bag, which is crafted from crocodile skin, because when it comes to animals being used for fashion, it isn’t beautiful—it’s abuse,” she wrote.

Lange continued to give chilling details about how the handbags were made. She described the torture that the crocodiles and snakes had to endure so that the “millionaire” speedy bag could be manufactured.

“A PETA Asia investigation found workers at LVMH’s suppliers cutting live crocodiles’ necks open and ramming metal rods down their spines while they were still conscious. Another investigation revealed that workers at facilities supplying LVMH struck pythons repeatedly on the head, suspending them in the air, inflating their bodies with water, and disemboweling them — even as they moved about.”

Lange even goes as far as to dare Pharrell Williams to take a trip to a crocodile factory farm so that he can see how these handbags are made.

“You’d want to bring along nose plugs and high boots to wade through fetid, waste-filled water. If we go to an indoor tank, also bring a flashlight, because you won’t see daylight. There are no blurred lines here. Killing wildlife for a bag isn’t cool—it’s cold. Are you up for this trip?”

As of writing this article, Pharrell Williams is yet to respond to this letter from PETA. We will have to wait and see if he decides to address the backlash over the “millionaire” speedy bag.

What do you make of Louis Vuitton’s latest handbag? Do you think bags like these should be banned permanently? Sound off in the comments section.