Kim Kardashian says she is 're-evaluating' her partnership with Balenciaga after it saw backlash over its latest campaign. The fashion house has come under fire for an ad that featured photographs of young children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage outfits.
The pictures were released last week for their Spring 2023 collection but the company has since taken them down and apologised for causing offence. Some of the images showed two young girls holding stuffed animals that were dressed in leather and netted clothing.
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Other pictures showed children in their bedrooms with items on neatly lined up on the floor - including the teddy bears dressed in the BDSM gear. In the background of one of the pictures is what appeared to be a framed excerpt of a US Supreme Court document relating to child pornography laws.
Balenciaga took to Instagram to apologise for the inclusion of the 'unsettling documents' and said it will be 'taking legal action against the party's responsible. A well renowned fashion house, Balenciaga is known to dress major celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Nicole Kidman.
In a statement released on her social media accounts, Kim Kardashian said: “I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened,”
“As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.”
“I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.
“As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
Kardashian and her ex-partner Kanye West are known for their links to Balenciaga, and recently walked her first Paris couture show with the brand, describing it as “a dream come true”.
The controversy comes following reports that the fashion house has cut its ties with West amid the ongoing fallout from anti-Semitic remarks made online by the US rapper.
In its own Instagram story Balenciaga wrote: “We sincerely apologise for any offense 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.”
“We apologise for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign. 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 photoshoot.
“We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and wellbeing.”
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