Trending

Balenciaga sues production company over controversial ads featuring children

French fashion brand Balenciaga has reportedly filed a $25 million lawsuit against the production company it hired to make an advertising campaign that drew worldwide backlash.

According to multiple media outlets, the advertisements were originally posted to Instagram over Thanksgiving week. The ad campaign promoted the brand’s new holiday gifting campaign, CBS News Reporter Khristopher J. Brooks explains.

The photos featured children posing with the company’s teddy bear bags, wearing what appeared to be BDSM-inspired harnesses.

Social media reportedly erupted with commentary over the images, which “critics said sexualized children and normalized child abuse,” Brooks writes. “The ads have even caused reality-star-turned-entrepreneur Kim Kardashian to reevaluate her relationship with Balenciaga.”

According to a complaint filed late Friday in state court in Manhattan, Balenciaga hired independent production company North Six and set designer Nicholas Des Jardins to create the ads for the company’s spring/summer 2023 collection.

Balenciaga is now suing North Six for “extensive damages” it says the ad caused, according to the company’s complaint. It claims that “members of the public, including the news media, have falsely and horrifically associated Balenciaga with the repulsive and deeply disturbing subject of the court decision.” Brooks points out that the lawsuit “does not explicitly mention the bondage-clad teddy bears depicted in the photos.”

Balenciaga had previously issued an apology on Instagram.

>> Read more about the company’s lawsuit here.

Nicole Bennett

Nicole Bennett

CMG Digital Content Producer

Listen

news

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!