Pharrell Williams' latest accessory might ruffle a few feathers.
For the special collector's cover edition of Elle U.K.'s July 2014 issue, the "Happy" singer ditches his trademark Vivienne Westwood Buffalo hat for "an elaborate Native American headdress," as the mag describes it in a press release.
Not everyone saw the artistic value in Pharrell's choice of headwear, and not long after images from the shoot hit the web, Twitter users came together to voice their frustrations under the hashtag #NotHappy. In response, the 41-year-old musical guru (who previously spoke to O, The Oprah Magazine about his Native American and Egyptian heritages) told E! News in a statement, "I respect and honor every kind of race, background and culture. I am genuinely sorry."
Ironically enough, Pharrell talks about "good manners and understanding the value of things" in the interview accompanying the photos in question. "I took a lot of years to understand the value of things and the value of the people you work with," he says. "The value of your fans who ultimately hold you high and lift you up. We're just hang gliders, dude, and they are carrying us around."
He also talks about his trademark and perhaps more PC hat, saying, "I remembered [Malcom McLaren's] 'Buffalo Gals' video, where he wears the hat. I actually wore it five years before I was photographed in it, it's just that no one was paying attention at the time."
It's safe to say people are sure paying attention now. Pharrell's full interview appears in the July issue of Elle U.K., on sale June 5, and is also available as a digital edition. Elle U.K.'s site also features a behind the scenes video of Pharrell's special edition cover shoot.