Pharrell Williams Under Fire for $1 million Louis Vuitton Crocodile Skin Handbag
“An exotic brand gimmick and an insensitive declaration of global north privilege.”
Pharrell Williams has come under fire from animal advocates after releasing a $1 million Louis Vuitton handbag made from crocodile skin.
The made-to-order bag named "Millionaire Speedy" is part of William’s latest efforts as Louis Vuitton's new Menswear Creative Director, and comes in yellow, blue, red, green, and brown.
In response, People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) has released an open letter to the producer, calling him out for his cruelty and referencing some of his popular song titles.
“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,” reads the letter, penned by PETA Senior VP Lisa Lange. “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.”
Lange also invited Williams to join PETA on a visit to a crocodile factory farm to see the conditions firsthand: "You’d want to bring along nose plugs and high boots to wade through fetid, waste-filled water," she wrote. "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?"
Williams has not yet responded to PETA’s offer.
“an exotic brand gimmick”
The bag also attracted criticism from others. Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Estethica and the fashion activism organization Fashion Revolution said: “In a world full of horrors, a sunshine yellow $1m bag doesn’t shine, it hurts.”
As per The Guardian, Caryn Franklin MBE, a British fashion and identity commentator also denounced the item: “The million-pound bag made of all the usual status signifiers – leather, crocodile, gold hardwear and diamond embellishments – is an exotic brand gimmick and an insensitive declaration of global north privilege. It’s not cool in 2023.”
Multiple animal advocacy organizations, including Species Unite, have called for a ban on the use of exotic animals in fashion production.
Workers at LVMH’s suppliers, the parent company of Louis Vuitton, were found to cut live crocodiles’ necks open and ram metal rods down their spines while the animals were still conscious, according to a PETA Asia investigation.
Another expose revealed that workers at facilities supplying LVMH struck pythons repeatedly on the head, suspended them in the air, inflated their bodies with water, and disemboweled them as the animals moved about.
Crocodiles are packed into a concrete pit on a farm that supplies skins to LVMH. Photo: PETA Asia
Dozens of major designers and retailers, including Calvin Klein, Chanel, Nordstrom, and Selfridges, have removed exotic skins from their products due to animal abuse.
Redefining Luxury
Animal rights organizations have also pointed out that some celebrities are using their platform to promote skin-free, luxury alternatives that are better for animals and the environment.
Grammy award-winning singer Billie Eilish recently collaborated with Gucci to create the Horsebit 1955 Bag, crafted with high-end vegan leather.
Fashion publication Vogue described the new vegan bag as “a major milestone for [Gucci’s] sustainability efforts, given animal leather’s large carbon footprint.”
Credit: Tyrell Hampton/Gucci
Castro advocates for a transformation in how luxury is defined, stating: “I believe it’s time to redefine what luxury means for today’s standards and embrace only a process that creates true, good beauty, engaging positively with nature and its people throughout its life.”
Take Action Now
Species Unite is calling on Louis Vuitton to join the modern age of compassionate fashion by committing to stop supporting the torture of crocodiles and the use of exotic skins.
Please add your name and join us in condemning this practice and asking Pietro Beccari, CEO of Louis Vuitton, to do the right thing.
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