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.

Exactly. They're not some random brand, they're a famous fashion house like Chanel or Dior. They're also well known for mad stuff like muddy catwalks or the models in masks. I don't think people who buy Balenciaga will care

Everyone in art/drama/fashion live in a bubble. They push the boundaries, and think the small people (the general public) will comply, because they are super stars with vision and we are not but we are wannabes. We look at the glossy mags and try to buy a bit of the fantasy world they inhabit, which is why women pay an arm and a leg for an ugly bag with little function while they struggle to pay the electric bill. They will think this stuff is edgy/ironic but ok because it probably is in the inner circles of that world. If it was produced by a man in his mother's basement, they would see the light.

I would bet my last tenner that someone (or several someones) involved in this has a sexual interest in children.

Absolutely - at least one person, and quite likely only one.

But what this demonstrates is him* feeling able to flaunt it and a huge chain of people involved in getting this thing to publication turning a blind eye to his behaviour.

(I originally wrote "them", then realised that it makes more sense to assume male here).

Bullshit they are bringing charges against 'the creative' - for what? Fulfilling their brief to a high enough standard that the brand decided to sign off the pictures and put them into the world? Creatives don't just go 'oh I know, let's do this' on the day, every pixel has been briefed, mocked up and agreed before its shot. Client would have been on set too.

(That's not to say I absolve the creative for doing the shoot - as they are the ones taking the image they are directly doing harm. But it's nonsense for the instigator to 'take action' against them as they are equally culpable.)

Is child sexual abuse really something that could inhabit the 'edgy' genre in fashion?

The fact most comments here assume it's originated by an actual pedophile would seem to suggest not.

Bloody hell. I hope it ruins them.

Is child sexual abuse really something that could inhabit the 'edgy' genre in fashion?

A trip through the completely unrestrained RSE materials used here and in the States would suggest nothing is impossible.

As if the client wasn’t on set and signing this off. I’d love someone to get sued but it’s the client

Is child sexual abuse really something that could inhabit the 'edgy' genre in fashion?

I would say, sadly, yes.

There’s enough horror stories about underage models and abuse/exploitation so I think a lot of “fashion people” will just shrug and carry on as usual.

Companies like Balenciaga will have dedicated super rich clients- possibly any who are angered or horrified by this campaign will use their financial clout to have people removed (this is probably why the apology has come about i lm guessing) but as the very rich who favour their designs want to stick with their preferred brand so they will continue. And that’s assuming their customer base give a shit.

I think it’s easy to underestimate how little people actually care about the safety of children. History does not show it to be a priority. Which is the horror of it all.

Actually what is the position re child sexual imagery? Criminal offence might be better

I can’t believe that’s real!! I know it is but the whole thing- and now they’re making out it was a mistake as if the whole company didn’t have a theme they were aware of- following a show last year where they send models down the catwalk with bloody noses? Wtf? Do we think Kim k will be wearing the brand anymore? Or any other celebrities? I doubt it. Just can’t believe they’ve done that and fucked themselves over so badly!

Where are the left? Hiding under the table, or gleefully supporting. ‘Silence is violence’ you know.

Do you remember the Kate Moss nudes for Calvin Klein? She looked like a child, and was still a child.

Yes and Kate Moss has spoken about how uncomfortable she felt.

This. Whilst I can see the argument for obscuring the child's face - and hopefully MNHQ could help with that - this ad was distributed widely by a high profile brand and I hardly think a site known predominantly to be used by women who care about safeguarding children is going to make a huge amount of difference. That ad will have already been downloaded by anyone who wanted to.

Heads need to roll.

The inclusion of the document proves that point to me.

Hi everyone,
We have removed the concerning images , but we have no objection to them going back up with the faces blurred. Thank you to everyone who drew our attention to this matter.

One of the most unsettling things about those photos is that the child models look scared and unhappy.

Yes. The models don’t look happy at all. Very strained and smiling because they were told too.

It reminds me of the boy in the John Lewis ad. He looked very confused at the end of the ad when you looked at screen grabs. That was child trying to act in the way the creator wanted but who didn’t really understand.

I don't think it's incompatible to say that the person who created this imagery has a sexual interest in children, and that this industry has always attracted men with such interests. The TQ+ brigade has just made it easier for them to be more open about it, because the public has been softened up by the normalisation of stuff like Desmond is Amazing and Pride marches with bondage furries.

Brooke Shields was 15 when she modelled for Calvin Klein with the tag line “you know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing”.

Calvin Klein still successful.

100%

Bullshit that they weren't aware. They can fuck all the way off to fuck with their bondage teddies, forever.

it's the expressions on the children's faces that will stay with me. I hope someone is checking that they are safe and being well cared for.

It’s gross but also why are they taking legal action against the creator - they would have signed it off?

This is a very cheap thing for them to say simply to signal that they're pretending to be the wronged party in some way and they're going to act firmly. I expect there'll be no legal action but they'll keep up the pretence it's going to happen until the story has moved out of the mainstream.

I saw this on Twitter the other day and couldn't quite believe my eyes. Revolting!
I'd agree with the poster who said that this was no accident. A long line of people would have been involved and you'd hope that somewhere along the line,at least one person might have raised concerns?

Both my Dd's were models,from 3 months old. Mainly fitting models for a well known fashion company and I remember 6 month old Dd1 being presented with a bikini to see how it fitted.I told the staff that I thought that bikinis for 6 month old babies ( with a triangle/ bra style top) were inappropriate and that no way would I buy one.

Anyway, whenever we were offered photographic bookings,the agent described what the job was for and what they'd be doing. I was offered an ad campaign for the NSPCC and the agent told me to consider the fact that there were some people who would see Dd1 in the advert and not be able to comprehend that she wasn't being neglected/ abused in real life and that she was just a model. I turned that job down.So, going from my experience, EVERYONE apart from that child,would have had a choice to stand up and say "no". And no one did. Poor poor child.

Jesus Christ, this is just bizarre. The fashion industry is not content with objectifying adults (mostly women), being one of the worst global polluters and abusing human rights on an enormous scale in its production chains, now they're doing this??!

And this site, apparently a leading fashion brand and blog, believes the questioning of Balenciaga's campaign is an 'absurd conspiracy theory':

www.highsnobiety.com/p/balenciaga-child-ad-conspiracy-theory/

Some people are desperate to link concerns about paedophilia with right wing groups. Can't think why they'd be so keen to cover up child abuse