Balenciaga's 2022 Ad Campaign Controversy
Luxury fashion brand, Balenciaga, caused public outrage in November 2022 with their holiday ad campaign titled 'Gift Shop', which featured images of children holding teddy bears dressed in BDSM-themed outfits. The company faced a massive backlash online and were accused of promoting explicit and inappropriate themes. Despite the outrage being labeled as a conspiracy theory by some news outlets, Balenciaga publicly apologized and removed all associated advertisements. In the aftermath, internet users started scrutinizing Balenciaga's online activities over the years, leading to the company deleting their Twitter and Instagram accounts with over 14 million followers. Balenciaga's subsequent '2023 Guard Robe' campaign also stirred controversy when it was found to include a document relating to a 2008 Supreme Court ruling on child exploitation laws, art books with disturbing images, and other questionable references.
Internet investigations revealed connections between certain individuals working at different levels in Balenciaga, including photographer Gabriel Gallimberti, stylist Lada Volkova and casting agent Rachel Chandler, with allegations of links to a dark underworld of human trafficking and other offensive practices
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