Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia Apologizes After Child Ad Outrage

Topline

Balenciaga’s creative director Demna Gvasalia apologized Friday after the luxury fashion brand released controversial ads featuring children holding teddy bears which were dressed in what appeared to be bondage gear, saying “it was inappropriate to have kids promote objects that had nothing to do with them.”

Key Facts

Though Balenciaga released a statement last week on the scandal, Gvasalia, who has headed the brand since 2015, had remained quiet until Friday.

In his Instagram statement, Gvasalia said though he likes to “provoke a thought through my work,” he would “NEVER have an intention to do that with such an awful subject of child abuse that I condemn.”

Gvasalia said he needs to “learn from this” and “engage with child protection organizations” to help children who have been abused.

Gvasalia pledged that Balenciaga will take steps to ensure something like this will never happen again, and also “to take accountability in protecting child welfare in every way we can.”

Crucial Quote

“I want to personally apologize for the wrong artistic choice of concept for the gifting campaign with the kids and I take full responsibility,” Gvasalia wrote.

Key Background

Last week, Balenciaga posted a campaign featuring children holding teddy bears which were outfitted in harnesses and other BDSM-style outfits. Followers were quick to point out how inappropriate the images seemed. As anger grew, internet sleuths noticed that in a separate Balenciaga campaign for a purse, a paper on a desk appeared to have text on it of a 2008 Supreme Court Decision, United States v. Williams, which is about child pornography. Balenciaga removed the photos and issued two separate statements Tuesday. The brand said its “plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign.” As for the other campaign, the company apologized for “displaying unsettling documents,” and took legal action Friday against the production company that put the shoot together. Kim Kardashian, who is one of the brand’s most visible faces, said Monday she was “shaken by the disturbing images” and that she’s reconsidering her relationship with the company.

Tangent

Demna had a very close relationship with Kardashian’s ex-husband, Kanye West, who goes by Ye. Balenciaga was one of the first brands to cut ties with West, who had recently walked in one of its fashion shows, when he began espousing antisemitic rhetoric on social media in October. Before West got re-banned on Twitter—for the first time since new owner Elon Musk took over—for sharing an image of a swastika inside a Star of David, he wrote that he stands by Gvasalia and Balenciaga through this scandal. “I stand by Balenciaga and denounce all witch hunts and I cancel cancel culture Jesus is King Ending trafficking doesn’t start or end with a fashion campaign for Christ Sake,” West said, according to Page Six. “Never turn our backs Demna and the Balenciaga family for life Cancel cancel culture Jesus please heal.” West also shared alleged texts sent to him from Gvasalia, asking West to get his fans to “stop Denma hate.”

Further Reading

Balenciaga Scandal: Why Kim Kardashian Is ‘Re-Evaluating’ Relationship With The Brand (Forbes)

Elon Musk Suspends Kanye West On Twitter For ‘Incitement To Violence’ After Swastika Post (Forbes)