The fallout over high-end clothier Balenciaga’s creepy clothing line sexualizing little children is still reverberating, so much so that several top celebrities are starting to feel the heat for their connections to the company.
The luxury clothing brand caused a wave of complaints this week after rolling out an ad campaign for its kids clothing line which features kids holding teddy bears dressed in a sexually explicit bondage-style theme.
Now, after the ads kicked up a backlash, some fans began hold celebrities accountable for their support of the posh retailer.
According to TMZ, fans have begun questioning Kim Kardashian for her support of the company and many want her to make some sort of statement against Balenciaga. Fans also slammed Bella Hadid for her association with the company.
Yet another advertisement from fashion company Balenciaga has been revealed to give a nod to the sexualization of children. https://t.co/9LibKnXDaN
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) November 24, 2022
She has not said so officially, but Hadid recently erased all her social media posts connected to Balenciaga and the pressure from fans over the inappropriate ads is likely the reason why.
The inappropriately dressed bears were not the only strange feature of the ads.
As people took more time to review the ads, it became clear that some of them also displayed the text from the Supreme Court’s opinion in the Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition child pornography case, in which the Court ruled virtual child pornography is protected speech.
the brand "Balenciaga" just did a uh….. interesting… photoshoot for their new products recently which included a very purposely poorly hidden court document about 'virtual child porn'
normal stuff pic.twitter.com/zjMN5WhZ0s
— shoe (@shoe0nhead) November 21, 2022
The ads brought many to slam Balenciaga for its “disgusting” campaign sexualizing children.
The Balenciaga ad is disgusting. Toddlers posing with BDSM sex toys and alcohol. Hiding in plain sight a Supreme Court case involving a federal child porn law… Stop sexualizing kids to sell your ugly overpriced crap. #Balenciaga pic.twitter.com/hTNJ4TD6od
— Alison H.Centofante (@AlisonHowardC) November 21, 2022
The company eventually apologized for the ads and wiped the whole campaign from its social media accounts.
Update: Balenciaga has now publicly apologized and is “taking legal action” against the creator of their disturbing ad campaign featuring children with teddy bears in bondage gear alongside court documents about the legalization of virtual child sexual abuse. pic.twitter.com/e9IEDYoMne
— Laila Mickelwait (@LailaMickelwait) November 23, 2022
Despite the apology and the scrubbing of the teddy bear ads, yet another ad sexualizing kids was discovered after people began scrutinizing the company’s campaigns. In the resurfaced ad, a book by artist Michael Borremans sits on the desk behind an adult model.
One of Borremans’ books, Fire from the Sun features realistic paintings of young, nude children. Some of the children appear to be covered in blood.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.