Balenciaga, other fashion brands remain silent on controversial ad campaigns depicting children with bondage gear

Balenciaga's parent company, Kering, along with other major fashion brands, have been silent on the controversial ad campaigns that depict children with teddy bears in bondage-style attire and included court documents about child pornography. Kering and other fashion brands didn't respond to questions by Fox News Digital about whether or not the brands support minors being featured in ads with bondage-style clothing.

The first of the controversial campaigns, titled Balenciaga Gift Shop, was published earlier in November, depicted children clutching handbags made from teddy bears in fishnet tops and leather harnesses. Around the kids, wine glasses, sunglasses, and other items were displayed.

Balenciaga released their 2023 Garde Robe campaign, featuring prominent figures like Nicole Kidman and Bella Hadid. The campaign, which was made to look like an office setting, included paperwork from a Supreme Court case about child pornography.

DEPRAVED A firestorm began on social media, with critics linking the ads and accusing the fashion brand of normalizing child pornography. Balenciaga deleted all of his other posts and apologised in a statement on social media.

We strongly condemn child abuse, but it was never our intention to include it in our narrative. The statement reads that Balenciaga took responsibility for a series of grievous errors for the two separate ads campaigns in question.

Balenciaga's parent company Kering, and other mega fashion brands in the same group, such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent have remained silent.

Kering, who posted on Twitter a number of times before the controversy arose, has not tweeted since November 20. The company didn't respond to Fox News Digital's inquiry about whether or not the parent company approves of ad campaigns, and what safeguards are being put in place to ensure similar photos are not published by other brands under their purview. Kering didn't say whether it plans to part ways with Balenciaga over the campaign.

Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen did not respond to questions from Fox News Digital about whether BDSM-style attire has a place in the high fashion world or whether minors should be featured in ads with this style of clothing. The companies didn't respond to questions about how they would make sure similar ads campaigns were not produced.

Kim Kardashian, who has been the face of Balenciaga, said she was shaken by the disturbing images and appreciated the brand's apology. She said she is reevaulating her relationship with the brand.

I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven't been disgusted or outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted to speak to their team to understand how this could have happened, Kardashian tweeted in a long Twitter thread.