“Snake skin taken alive”: Olympic champion faces criticism over luxury “million-dollar bra” bag

Dutch speedskating Olympic champion Jutta Leerdam is facing criticism after revealing a luxury handbag made from python skin. Some fans have raised allegations of animal cruelty over the purchase.

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I bought a new bag, and now we are going to unbox it together.

The controversy followed Leerdam's holiday in Italy with her fiancé, Jake Paul. The Dutch sports outlet Sportnieuws reported that she went shopping there and later showed her new purchase to fans on TikTok.

Leerdam, who won the women's 1,000-meter speedskating gold medal at the Winter Olympics in February, visited a Dolce & Gabbana store in Italy. She posted the bag online, writing, “I bought a new bag, and now we are going to unbox it together” and “I am in love.”

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I am in love.

She said the model had been on the market for only three days and that the store had carried just three. “I bought the last one,” she said. The bag's python-skin construction later prompted criticism from some fans.

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It had only been on the market for three days and there were only three in the store. I bought the last one.