The high-end fashion brand Balenciaga has received internet backlash for a creepy ad that features two young girls holding stuffed animals dressed in what looks to be bondage gear.
In one photo, a little girl with fiery red hair is shown wearing one of the company’s T-shirts while she holds the strap of a white bear that is wearing a vest with a padlocked choker around its neck.
Another photo featured a little girl with brown hair wearing a blue outfit while holding a purple stuffed animal that was also dressed in BDSM gear.
The company also advertised a handbag with a copy of the Supreme Court’s decision in a child pornography case as a prop.
The photographer behind the creepy ad campaign, Gabriele Galimberti, claimed the inspiration for the photos was part of a project series called “Toy Stories,” according to his Instagram page.
“These days I’ve been looking through my archives for old photos, and among many things, I found some alternative shots from my TOY STORIES project, like this one!” he wrote.
“Toy Stories is an ongoing project; wherever I travel in the world, I take portraits of children with their favorite toys,” he added.
The creepy ad sparked outrage online for normalizing child pornography.
“The brand “Balenciaga” just did a uh….. interesting… photoshoot for their new products recently which included a very purposely poorly hidden court document about ‘virtual child porn’… normal stuff,” one user wrote.
the brand “Balenciaga” just did a uh….. interesting… photoshoot for their new products recently which included a very purposely poorly hidden court document about ‘virtual child porn’
normal stuff pic.twitter.com/zjMN5WhZ0s
— shoe (@shoe0nhead) November 21, 2022
Another user said, “The Balenciaga ad is disgusting. Toddlers posing with BDSM sex toys and alcohol. Hiding in plain sight a Supreme Court case involving a federal child porn law… Stop sexualizing kids to sell your ugly overpriced crap.”
The Balenciaga ad is disgusting. Toddlers posing with BDSM sex toys and alcohol. Hiding in plain sight a Supreme Court case involving a federal child porn law… Stop sexualizing kids to sell your ugly overpriced crap. #Balenciaga pic.twitter.com/hTNJ4TD6od
— Alison H.Centofante (@AlisonHowardC) November 21, 2022
TV host Tucker Carlson criticized the commercial in a recent segment.
Watch the video below:
Tucker Carlson Asking WTF Is Going On With Disturbing Balenciaga Ad Involving Children pic.twitter.com/ue1GGhkTM7
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) November 22, 2022
