The “Gift Shop” Campaign That Started It All
The first wave of the balenciaga controversial marketing hit in November. Photographer Gabriele Galimberti shot the holiday campaign, which showed young children holding the brand’s teddy bear bags. People immediately pointed out that the bears were wearing bondage gear and studded leather harnesses. Putting children next to BDSM-style props caused an instant uproar. The balenciaga adverts were heavily criticized for crossing a serious line and sexualizing kids.
The Spring 2023 Campaign and Hidden Court Documents
Just days later, eagle-eyed Twitter users found something else. In a separate photoshoot for the Spring 2023 line—set in a messy office—a Balenciaga bag sat on top of scattered papers. One of those papers was a printout of a real 2008 Supreme Court ruling about child pornography laws. Seeing this right after the teddy bear incident turned a bad situation into a full-blown Balenciaga scandal. People refused to believe both incidents were just accidents, given how tightly luxury brands control their photoshoots.
The Internet Reacts: Boycotts and Defacement
The public response was brutal. Hashtags demanding people cancel the brand got hundreds of millions of views on TikTok and Twitter. Angry customers posted videos cutting up their expensive shoes and bags. Offline, protesters vandalized storefronts in London and Beverly Hills with graffiti. High-profile ambassadors, including Kim Kardashian, faced intense pressure to drop their contracts and publicly condemned the balenciaga controversial imagery.
The Initial Deflection and Subsequent Apology
Instead of taking the blame right away, Balenciaga filed a $25 million lawsuit against the production company and set designer who worked on the office shoot, claiming they sneaked the court documents onto the set. This move backfired. PR experts and the public dragged the brand for passing the buck, pointing out that top executives always approve major ad campaigns before they go live.
Realizing the lawsuit was making things worse, the company dropped it a week later. Creative director Demna posted a personal apology on Instagram, admitting it was a massive mistake to use kids in that context. To try and win back public trust, the brand completely pulled the balenciaga adverts, partnered with the National Children’s Alliance, and changed how they approve their marketing materials. It was a harsh, expensive lesson in accountability for the luxury fashion world.
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