Balenciaga’s shocking holiday ad campaign: the luxury fashion brand apologised for its promo featuring kids holding teddy bears in bondage – but social media users have already deemed it ‘disgusting’
Balenciaga has apologised for its latest ad campaign that featured children holding plush teddy bear bags accessorised with bondage gear after it sparked outrage on social media and drew accusations of sexualising children.
“We sincerely apologise for any offence our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign,” the statement said.
Another aspect of the advertisement featured an image of Balenciaga’s handbag laid atop a stack of documents. A closer examination of the documents reveals that they refer to a Supreme Court ruling that upheld a law that criminalises child sexual abuse images.
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The company said that it will seek legal action against the parties responsible for the photo shoot, claiming that they included “unapproved items” in the campaign.
The photos drew sharp criticism online, particularly from conservative influencers who accused the brand of sexualising children, calling it “disgusting”.
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Kering, which owns Balenciaga, along with Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Netizens criticised Balenciaga for the campaign, which shows a Supreme Court document upholding a law criminalising child sexual abuse images, especially after the brand cut ties with Kanye West
- Balenciaga issued an apology on Instagram, but its parent company Kering, which also owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, has yet to comment