Using their voices. As Balenciaga continues to face backlash over an ad for its Spring/Summer 2023 collection, celebrities are speaking out against the brand — and taking action.
Jason Aldean‘s wife, Brittany Aldean, shared her perspective via Instagram on Wednesday, November 30. The 34-year-old North Carolina native uploaded — and subsequently deleted — a photo of herself holding bags full of Balenciaga products and seemingly tossing them in the garbage. “It’s trash day @balenciaga,” she captioned her post.
Brittany’s social media activity comes shortly after the fashion brand issued a public statement regarding the campaign for its upcoming line. The ad featured children holding purses — which were designed to look like teddy bears in BDSM-inspired apparel — while surrounded by other Balenciaga items. In additional pictures, which did not include the kids, seemingly showed some pages from a Supreme Court case on child pornography.
The controversial marketing prompted an uproar on social media, and the brand pulled the images amid the scandal. “We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms,” read a statement shared via Balenciaga’s Instagram Story on November 23. “We apologize for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign. … We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and well-being.”
Several days later, the company further addressed the decisions that led to the photo shoot in a lengthier statement. “This was a wrong choice by Balenciaga, combined with our failure in assessing and validating images. The responsibility for this lies with Balenciaga alone,” an Instagram memo asserted. “We want to learn from our mistakes and identify ways we can contribute. Balenciaga reiterates its sincere apologies for the offense we have caused and extends its apologies to talents and partners.”
Along with Brittany, Lala Kent voiced her concerns with the ad before it was pulled. The Bravo star, 32, asserted via her Instagram Story that she doesn’t own any Balenciaga clothing and encouraged the brand to “do better.”
As the controversy blew up, Kim Kardashian was called out for her close working relationship with the fashion house. She broke her silence on the “disturbing” photo shoot on November 27.
“As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period,” she tweeted. “I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.”
Scroll down to see how celebrities are responding to the Balenciaga advertising controversy:
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Celebs Ditch Balenciaga Amid Backlash for BDSM-Style Teddy Bear Advertisement: Brittany Aldean, Lala Kent and More
Using their voices. As Balenciaga continues to face backlash over an ad for its Spring/Summer 2023 collection, celebrities are speaking out against the brand — and taking action.
Jason Aldean‘s wife, Brittany Aldean, shared her perspective via Instagram on Wednesday, November 30. The 34-year-old North Carolina native uploaded — and subsequently deleted — a photo of herself holding bags full of Balenciaga products and seemingly tossing them in the garbage. “It’s trash day @balenciaga,” she captioned her post.
Brittany’s social media activity comes shortly after the fashion brand issued a public statement regarding the campaign for its upcoming line. The ad featured children holding purses — which were designed to look like teddy bears in BDSM-inspired apparel — while surrounded by other Balenciaga items. In additional pictures, which did not include the kids, seemingly showed some pages from a Supreme Court case on child pornography.
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The controversial marketing prompted an uproar on social media, and the brand pulled the images amid the scandal. “We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms,” read a statement shared via Balenciaga’s Instagram Story on November 23. “We apologize for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign. … We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and well-being.”
Several days later, the company further addressed the decisions that led to the photo shoot in a lengthier statement. “This was a wrong choice by Balenciaga, combined with our failure in assessing and validating images. The responsibility for this lies with Balenciaga alone,” an Instagram memo asserted. “We want to learn from our mistakes and identify ways we can contribute. Balenciaga reiterates its sincere apologies for the offense we have caused and extends its apologies to talents and partners.”
Along with Brittany, Lala Kent voiced her concerns with the ad before it was pulled. The Bravo star, 32, asserted via her Instagram Story that she doesn’t own any Balenciaga clothing and encouraged the brand to “do better.”
As the controversy blew up, Kim Kardashian was called out for her close working relationship with the fashion house. She broke her silence on the “disturbing” photo shoot on November 27.
“As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period,” she tweeted. “I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.”
Scroll down to see how celebrities are responding to the Balenciaga advertising controversy:
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AnnaLynne McCord
The 90210 alum protested outside Balenciaga’s Rodeo Drive store on Saturday, December 3.
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Brittany Aldean
“It’s trash day @balenciaga,” the American Idol alum captioned an Instagram photo showing her throwing out bags full of Balenciaga items.
Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Kim Kardashian
“I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again,” the Skims CEO, who notably wore Balenciaga to the 2021 Met Gala, tweeted.
The Kardashians star asserted in another post: “As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — and the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
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Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham
The Bachelor Nation personalities uploaded a joint Instagram video depicting them setting their Balenciaga shoes on fire. “Won’t miss ya,” the former racing driver wrote.
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Bethenny Frankel
“I can’t imagine what transpired for something so egregious, outrageous and symbolically damaging, like this, to happen: it feels like a sign of the times and the media social and otherwise, overall,” the Real Housewives of New York City alum captioned an Instagram Reel discussing the controversy and calling out the “s–t show” of the fashion industry. “I buy my own clothes, I don’t have a stylist and I’ll undoubtedly never be invited to the Met Ball. Despite having a nice wardrobe, I’m more likely to be invited to a MEAT BALL.”
In her video, the businesswoman claimed that some celebs were keeping quiet on the ad in order to maintain their “currency” within the fashion world. “The victims are these children who are objectified [and] sexualized,” she added. “It’s just hit a nerve.”
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Lala Kent
The Vanderpump Rules star expressed her disappointment in the company in a candid Instagram Story post. “I’m sure I’ll be shadow banned… again, for posting this- but I have to,” she wrote. “I’m proud to not own one single piece of Balenciaga. Also, we need to know what that document under the Balenciaga bag says. If you zoom in, it SEEMS to state some horrifying words.”
She continued: “Y’all- we need to do better. Reject the darkness, find the light. The well-being of our world and it’s innocent beings depends on it.”
Credit: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Cooper Kupp
The Los Angeles Rams athlete sent a message to his Twitter followers as the ad sparked backlash. “To try to be a voice for our children, who rely on the protection of the men and women that were entrusted the responsibility of nurturing them and raising them up: please make yourself aware of the attack against our young ones by @balenciaga, and ensure that they are held responsible for it!” the NFL player wrote. “For those of us in positions to create change in the way that companies manipulate people and advertise evil, please stand up!”
