Balenciaga apologises for bondage bear advert involving child

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They're also taking legal action against its creator

What I want to know is who the hell signed it off and why were the parents happy to let it go ahead?

I've included the images for anyone who hasn't seen them.

No. But then half the celebrities recruited by the UN are not qualified for the role imo. I read once that the UN recruits people who are high profile and have influence particularly on young people. Especially young people abroad.

Media people who star in kids films have reach. If they're famous enough even very poor children in poorer economic countries will recognise them and listen to them.

Angelina Jolie sahd she would turn up in in some poor region of Brazil and the young people would run to her saying 'Lara Croft is here'

It's highly dubious recruiting. I remember being stunned when 50 Cent became an ambassador.

Mind you thinking about it now, 50 cent is more qualified due to diverse life experience than someone like Emma.

Halima Aden was a refugee turned model turned goodwill ambassador and heer take on it (probably as someone who experienced the other end) is interesting (and not that positive) www.bbc.com/news/stories-55653029
Also talks about the pressures on young girls from the fashion industry, (although I felt a bit uncomfortable that she seemed to imply it was bad only when it involved underage hijabi wearing girls. That was likely just the way it came across in interview though not what she meant from other stuff she's said.)

Thanks, I read it. Awful. Children in refugee camps having to dance for celebrity ambassadors?? Disgusting. As a refugee child, she didn't even receive basic stuff like pens and books from Unicef. Wow.

The photographer of the children with the bdsm bears not the kiddie porn documents complaining in the Guardian. He's received the usual vile threats. He says it's cost him work. I wonder if he's setting out his store for a lawsuit.

www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/dec/09/photographer-death-threats-balenciaga-sm-teddy-campaign-gabriele-galimberti

If I was him I'd sue if only to create distance and show my complete disavowal of being in agreement with Balenciaga's values, as well as to save my reputation and reimbursement for loss of future work. He'd be a fool not to sue.

Blocked and Reported discussed this. Apparently a bit dodgy, but no big deal and this kind of shock approach is what's normal for the fashion industry.

www.blockedandreported.org/p/episode-142-ye-has-his-mask-on-moment (after 9 minutes in)

I love some of the work they do, particularly Jesse Singal, but like many, as soon as they scent that the Right is annoyed about something, they will reflexively look to undermine the line taken by the Right rather than think carefully about what's actually in front of them.

Really? I would say Blocked and Reported are quite central in their politics. Ominally liberal, but not captured by the left. I've seen them come down hard on Liberal politics in the US on particular subjects. I like them because they seem to take a sensible, not completely partisan stance on many subjects.

Did I say B&R are on the left?

as soon as they scent that the Right is annoyed about something, they will reflexively look to undermine the line taken by the Right

I enjoy B&R - I used to have a paid subscription - but they have a blasé and attitude to anything involving pedophilia. I think they think they are sophisticated and open-minded by refusing to fall for moral panics - but it’s just irritatingly naive. I stopped subscribing after they talked about Prostasia on one episode and they took the Prostasia website blurb at face value - oh this is an support organisation to help pedophiles not offend, what’s wrong with that?

They are both pretty good journalists so I don’t know why they have this blind spot but it seems they have almost deliberately cultivated it.

I think they view people talking about paedophilia in terms of, in some cases, there being something concerted behind the scenes is most likely a moral panic which is probably being exploited by the Right and then their critical thinking fails them.