“I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again,” Kardashian said.
After high fashion brand Balenciaga offered ads featuring their luxury products alongside images of child exploitation, brand ambassador Kim Kardashian issued a milquetoast statement about her willingness to continue working with the company. This came after fans asked her to speak out about the brand's ad campaign.
"I have been quiet for the past few days," she said on Twitter, whose CEO has said eradicating child exploitation images on the platform is a number one priority, "not because I haven't been disgusted and outraged by the Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened."
https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1597034284384411650
"As a mother of four," she wrote, "I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The satefy of children must be helpd with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society—period."
The ads raised child-safeguarding concerns as they showed children holding teddy bears in bondage gear, as well as backgrounds featuring legal briefs about child pornography cases, specifically an excerpt from a Supreme Court Case upholding a federal child porn law. Those bears are accessories from Balenciaga's Spring 2023 collection.
"I appreciate Balenciaga's removeal of the campaigns and apology," Kardashian continued, though the company only did this after backlash erupted against them online from those concerned that the luxe brand was actually promoting the exploitation of children. "In speaking with them," she went on, "I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again."
Balenciaga announced their plan to sue the ad creator after the social media storm. That photographer, Gabriele Galimberti, said that the had no input on the "creative direction of the photoshoot," Page Six reported.
"As for my future with Balenciaga," Kardashian said, addressing the elephant in the room, "I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountabiliity for something that should have never happened to begin with—& the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children."
Model Bella Hadid posted images from the ad campaign on her Instagram, and then deleted them after the brand came under scrutiny.
Balenciaga issued a statement of apology, saying "We apologize for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign. We take this matter very seriously and are taking legal action against the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for our Spring 23 campaign photoshoot. We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and well-being."
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