Reality TV star and fashion goddess Kim Kardashian has spoken up over controversial Balenciaga Ad campaign featuring inappropriate child photoshoot. The advert was featuring children carrying the brand’s ‘plush bear bags’, with S & M style harnesses. The Balenciaga Spring 2023 collection was under fire because the photos were linked to placing children alongside BDSM-themed items.
In a statement on their Instagram stories, the brand apologized for causing any offense with their campaign. They wrote “We sincerely apologize 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.”
The fashion brand further apologized for “displaying unsettling documents” in their campaign and said they have taken legal actions against “the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for the spring 23 campaign.” “We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children safety and well-being”, they concluded.
Kim who work together with Balenciaga frequently and models the brand had been slammed by fans for not speaking against the campaign. She has now broken her silence and apologized days after.
She said “I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been shocked 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 those disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it 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- and the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
Balenciaga have now wiped clean its Instagram feed with only the apology statement visible under the highlights. @kimkardashian @balenciaga
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