Pharrell Williams' Louis Vuitton bag, Millionaire Speedy, draws brickbats

Forget quiet luxury. The Millionaire Speedy is as flashy as its name.

The Louis Vuitton bag is made of crocodile leather and comes in five colours, including red, yellow and blue. It has gold hardware features, with added diamonds.

The bag is reportedly being sold on a made-to-order basis.

It comes with a US$1 million (S$1.36 million) pricetag, and only vetted Louis Vuitton clientele would be able to buy it, according to a report by The Guardian.

The bag is the work of US musician Pharrell Williams, who was named the brand's creative director in early 2023.

He was spotted carrying the yellow version of the Speedy at Paris Fashion Week this past summer.

Several social media accounts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, have re-shared a video of Williams showing off the bag, which comes with a diamond encrusted lock.

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But not everyone is clapping along.

Many have pointed out that everyday people would not be able to bag the item and slammed the singer for being "out of touch".

Some have also accused Williams of forgetting his more humble roots.

Criticism has also been levelled against him for the bag's exotic material.

In a post on X, animal rights group Peta said using animals for fashion is not beautiful but abuse. The group is also said to have sent Williams a letter inviting him on a tour of a crocodile farm.

[embed]https://twitter.com/peta/status/1722343167310061851[/embed]

In response to the Millionaire Speedy, eco and luxury brand Elvis & Kresse released its own version called the "Million Pound" bag.

The company said on its website that "all of the proceeds will go to our charitable partners".

Elvis & Kresse said its bag is made "entirely from rescued materials" and it is one-of-a-kind because "it is impossible to make two".

"When you rescue materials you have no control over what comes in, and the gold stripe across the top of this bag is constructed from a gold leather that is so rare, there was only enough to make one piece," the company said on its website, adding that "luxury needs to be about more than bling".

[embed]https://twitter.com/ChristianCerbo2/status/1722705858998513986[/embed]

Other luxury bags on the market include Chanel's classic "flap" handbag. A lambskin version costs about £9,000 (S$15,000).

There is also the Arlo Bag from The Row, which is made from "polished alligator". It costs £26,860.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.