Balenciaga’s controversial ‘Toy Stories’ campaign sparks criticism

*TriggerWarning*

Clothing brand Balenciaga’s latest campaign featured children carrying the brand’s “plush bear bags” in the series of commercials.

According to The Independent, another advertisement featuring the company’s well-known “hourglass bag” has also drawn criticism.

Critics immediately called attention to the bear’s usage of internment clothing, including fishnet tops, lockable collars, and stud-adorned harnesses, and some questioned if it was appropriate to employ children to promote the organization.

In addition to the ‘hourglass bag,’ the stated picture for Balenciaga’s ‘Toy Stories’ campaign also includes a document outlining a Supreme Court ruling on indecent images that can be found amid documents spread on a table.

According to the New York Post, Balenciaga sued set designer Nicholas Des Jardins and production company North Six for $25 million.

In a statement shared on the fashion house’s Instagram Stories, the brand expressed regret and apologized for any offence caused by the advertisements showing young children holding the bags, which many people criticized online as being “disgusting” and “over-sexualized.”

Social media was bombarded with comments after the Balenciaga campaign story went viral.

UK-based broadcaster Dominique Samuels shared Balenciaga’s main stylist’s Instagram page images involving children and satanic rituals.

https://twitter.com/Dominiquetaegon/status/1596994761184854021

A Twitter user called this campaign intense and sickening.

A social media user with a reasonable following said that the brand should never be forgiven for this act.

A Twitter user claimed that the brand is brainwashing kids with such campaigns.

A Muslim athlete Tam Khan said called out the hypocrisy of people protesting human rights abuses in Qatar but not criticizing Balenciaga’s agenda.