PETA Slams Pharrell Williams’ Crocodile Skin Louis Vuitton Handbag

Rania Aniftos
·2 min read
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Pharrell Williams is under fire from PETA after unveiling his latest effort as Louis Vuitton’s creative director, a bright yellow crocodile-skin handbag priced at $1 million.

The animal rights organization released an open letter addressed to the producer, written by PETA’s Senior VP Lisa Lange. “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,” the letter obtained by Billboard and first reported by TMZ reads. “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.”

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The letter continued, “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 encouraged Williams to visit a crocodile factory to witness the horror himself. “You’d want to bring along nose plugs and high boots to wade through fetid, waste-filled water,” the letter reads. “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?”

Billboard has reached out to Pharrell’s team for comment, but have not received a response at the time of publication.

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