Over child photos, Kim Kardashian is “re-evaluating” her connection with Balenciaga.
Kim Kardashian Is “Re-Evaluating” Her Connection With Balenciaga, Over Child Photos,
After receiving harsh criticism for a campaign that featured kids holding teddy bears while dressed as bondage victims, Kim Kardashian revealed Sunday night that she is “re-evaluating” her partnership with Balenciaga.
She wrote on Twitter, “As a mother of four, I have been horrified by the frightening images. The safety of children must be prioritized and attempts to normalize child abuse of any form should be rejected outright by our culture.
The abbreviation BDSM, which stands for bondage, discipline, domination, submission, and sadomasochism, was used in a Balenciaga campaign that featured youngsters cradling teddy bears while wearing leather clothing. A young child was pictured carrying a bear that had a lock and chain around its neck as well as wrist and ankle restraints.
“Not because I haven’t been appalled and upset 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,” Kardashian claimed she held off on speaking out.
“I appreciate Balenciaga’s apologies and removal of the advertising. After talking to them, I think they recognize the gravity of the situation and will take the necessary steps to ensure that it never occurs again,” she said.
In response to the criticism, Balenciaga posted a message to its Instagram story last week apologizing in the strongest possible terms for any offense that its Christmas campaign may have caused.
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The statement read, “Our plush bear backpacks shouldn’t have been shown with kids in this promotion.”
Balenciaga’s Instagram posts have either been deleted or hidden as of Sunday night. (The Instagram comment sections are frequently used as a public forum to express disapproval of companies or prominent figures.)
The reality star and former Balenciaga ambassador said she was “currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it on their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened in the first place — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
Requests for comment regarding Kardashian’s claims were not immediately answered by Balenciaga or its parent company, Kering.
