The fallout continues 7 days after Balenciaga launched its BDSM-themed photo shoot featuring minor children.
Kim Kardashian says she is “disgusted and outraged” by Balenciaga’s holiday campaign that features children holding teddy bear bags dressed in bondage gear.
One image shows a child holding a BDSM teddy bear while posing suggestively.
Another image shows a child stretched out on a sofa next to a table with empty liquor glasses. There are man-sized sneakers on the floor, all of which seem to suggest a man plied the child with alcohol for indecent purposes.
A third image shows a Black girl standing in front of a bed with BDSM props and a man-sized sneaker on the floor.
The 42-year-old mother-of-4 said she was “shaken by the disturbing images” and spoke with Balenciaga about the photo shoot.
“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,” Kim said in a tweet on Sunday.
RELATED: Update: IG Model Monica Under Fire for Not Cutting Ties with Balenciaga Over Ads Featuring Children
Kim’s fans flooded her social media with demands to cut ties with the disgraced fashion house.
Meghan McCain called Kim a “coward” for not denouncing Balenciaga.
In an editorial for Dailymail.com, Meghan wrote:
“For the record, I think she’s a coward for not immediately cutting ties with Balenciaga and I predict this choice will haunt her for years. The bottom line here is that grownups are supposed to protect children – period. And as a society, we seem to be failing the most innocent and vulnerable, who have no advocates but us.”
Kim says she’s “re-evaluating” her relationship with the brand – which outraged fans took to mean she’s simply waiting for the scandal to blow over.
“I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.
“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.”
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.
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 27, 2022
If you honestly felt this way, then you would cut all ties. But you won’t because you only care about money…
— Your mamas fat ass cheeks PARODY (@Yourmajestyqv) November 28, 2022
You don’t give a crap about the children or even your fans or anyone that’s not very rich like you. Stop lying. Your family are the most richest people in America. The truth will always come out always, Kim. Karma hits. I already saw this coming.????
— ?Charidy Kaiser? (@okkcharidy) November 28, 2022
Balenciaga filed a $25 million lawsuit against the production company and set designer of the photo shoot for creating a “false association” between Balenciaga and a Supreme Court decision on child p0rn on the Internet.
One of the images featured a nearly hidden court document about the groundbreaking child p0rn case.
Nicholas Des Jardins‘s agent, Gabriela Moussaieff, told the New York Post that the legal papers “were obtained from a prop house that were rental pieces used on film (and) photo shoots.”
She said the photo shoot was given the green light by Balenciaga execs who were fully aware of the inappropriate theme.
“Everyone from Balenciaga was on the shoot and was present on every shot and worked on the edit of every image in post production,” Moussaieff said, adding that the set designer was “being used as a scapegoat.”
Outraged fans also called on R&B singer-turned-Instagram model Monica to cut ties with Balenciaga. So far, she has not responded or removed Instagram photos that show her wearing Balenciaga logo outfits.
Actress Nicole Kidman and model Bella Hadid also remained silent after fans asked them to denounce Balenciaga.
The campaign ads have been removed from all social media.
