Did Balenciaga sexualize children in two controversial ad campaigns?

Balenciaga was accused of sexualizing children in two controversial ad campaigns — and the backlash has been swift. Here's everything to know. This article was originally published on November 23, 2022 and has been updated. Below, FASHION outlines the developments that have taken place since the initial backlash.

Is Balenciaga a subversive brand?

Balenciaga has become synonymous with subversiveness, and though the father of one of the child models featured in the campaign told the Daily Mail he believed it had been “blown out of all proportion,” for many consumers the campaign crossed the line from provocative to harmful. Balenciaga and Demna both released apologies.

Why did people hate the gift shop campaign?

Within days of its publication, the social media reaction to the Gift Shop campaign rapidly went from a trickle to a storm: Critics condemned the house for showing children holding bags designed to look like destroyed teddy bears, with studs and harnesses, amid an array of grown-up items before them—a Balenciaga-branded wine glass, for example.