Pharrell Williams Fur Controversy: What You Need To Know

Pharrell Williams has been making headlines this week over the ongoing controversy surrounding his use and endorsement of real fur and animal skins.

While Williams is best known for being a singer-songwriter, he was also appointed the creative director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear division in February 2023, taking over the position from the late Virgil Abloh. He has overseen the brand’s continued use of real fur and animal skin, and heavily endorsed their use. Williams has regularly been photographed in lavish fur coats, for example, and has previously resisted pressure to move towards cruelty-free materials.

Back in June, Williams was asked about his use of animal materials at a fashion event in Paris. He had showcased a collection using mink fur, which reportedly “raised eyebrows” among some attendees. Addressing his use of furs and skins, he said he used them “for the same reason anybody uses them,” adding that it’s a “design thing.” He then compared fur to cotton because “it breathes,” before adding “it is what it is.”

“For me, it’s just about the art form,” he continued. “The artistic discipline of expressing the artist and the designers and our teams just expressing ourselves through different textile platforms. That’s literally what it is.”

A previous investigation into a snakeskin farm supplying Louis Vuitton’s parent company found that workers were bashing pythons with steel hammers, suspending them by their jaws, and pumping them full of water. According to a reptile expert who watched the footage, it’s likely they were “conscious across all stages.” Another investigation – this time at an ostrich farm – documented birds in barren feedlots. Crocodiles farmed for their skins are often kept in crowded concrete pits, while minks tend to be packed into tiny wire cages on fur farms.

Will Pharrell ditch fur and skins?

A close-up shot of Pharrell Williams' face in front of a yellow background — Abaca Press / Alamy Stock Photo Pharrell Williams has hinted that he may move away from fur in the future

Animal rights groups, notably PETA, are campaigning for Williams to move towards plant-based materials. In recent weeks, Williams has been dropping hints that he may finally be moving away from animal use in his designs.

Last week, On Tuesday, September 10, a PETA activist disrupted Williams’ Toronto premiere of his new biopic film Piece By Piece. While Williams was on stage for a Q&A, the activist appeared with a sign reading “Pharrell stop supporting killing animals for fashion.” Addressing the audience after the incident, Williams said: “You know what? Just let me address that: Rome wasn’t made in a day, and sometimes, when you have plans to change things and situations, you have to get in a situation of power and of influence where you can change people’s minds and help progression.”

According to reports, Williams criticized PETA’s action, saying that she was doing herself a “disservice” and that he had been speaking to organizations “behind the scenes.”

“When that change comes, everybody in this room will remember that I told you we are actually working on that,” he added. “And if she would’ve just asked me, I would’ve told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.”

Despite hints that he may do so, Williams is yet to confirm that he or Louis Vuitton will ditch fur. In a statement to Variety, PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman said: “We would be happy to stop disrupting Pharrell’s appearances but despite a lot of lip service, he’s yet to ditch fur and exotic skins. Pharrell can decide in a heartbeat, today, to use his power for good and stop being complicit in cruelty—it’s quite easy to be kind.”