Balenciaga issued an apology Tuesday for its new campaign that shows two young girls posing with teddy bears that appear to be wearing BDSM-style harnesses.
The advertisements supported Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, which debuted this fall at Paris Fashion Week.
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“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. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms,” the company wrote in a statement posted to its Instagram Story.
The Post reached out to Balenciaga for comment.
Eagle-eyed online investigators pointed out that one photo seemingly showed what appeared to be an excerpt from a US Supreme Court case that upheld part of a federal child pornography law.
“We apologise for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign,” the company continued in its statement.
“We take this matter very seriously and are taking legal action against the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for our Spring 23 campaign photo-shoot. We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and wellbeing.”
The luxury fashion house may have wiped glimpses of the campaign from its social media, but screenshots live on. Earlier Tuesday, critics took to Twitter to slam the photos.
“I thought people were trolling, but nope. It’s real. Maybe this is why Balenciaga left Twitter. They don’t want to be held accountable. Yes, these are children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage outfits,” one Twitter user fumed.
Balenciaga has been making headlines recently. A month ago, the brand favoured by Kim Kardashian cut ties with problematic rapper and fashion mogul Kanye West after he made anti-Semitic remarks.
“Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” parent company Kering said about West in a statement.
This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission