Pharrell Williams' high-profile Olympic celebration in Paris was thrown into chaos by animal rights activists. The music icon and fashion mogul threw a lavish bash for Louis Vuitton at their Paris HQ on Thursday night, right before the 2024 Olympic Games kicked of in the city on Friday. However, the pre-Olympics party, dubbed 'The Prelude To The Olympics', was gatecrashed by two PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) protestors demanding an end to his use of animal skins in his designs.
PETA's Vice President of Corporate Projects, Yvonne Taylor, condemned the event, stating: "While Pharrell lives it up at celeb-filled soirees, the vulnerable animals sentenced to die for his 'fashion' choices languish in pain and filth on factory farms and at slaughterhouses, where they'll be hacked to bits or skinned alive." She added, "PETA is calling on Pharrell to stop being complicit in cruelty and help pull Louis Vuitton out of the dark ages by shunning the antiquated use of animal skins and fur." Brandishing signs that read "Pharrell: Stop Killing Animals for Fashion", the demonstrators were quickly removed by security.
The star-studded event, which took place at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, saw celebrities like Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Snoop Dogg, and Serena Williams in attendance . Pharrell, who took the reins as Louis Vuitton's men's creative director last year, has previously sparked outrage from animal rights group PETA for designing a $1 million bespoke crocodile-ski.