Accusations of child exploitation, conspiracy theories, and calls for cancellation. Balenciaga found itself embroiled in a crisis, offering a stark lesson in how fashions’ propensity for provocation can snowball into scandal, entangling everyone nearby, from celebrities to executives. Almost two years later, the brand returned in grand fashion with the announcement of media mogul Kim Kardashian as its newly appointed brand ambassador.
Expectedly, the news unearthed an internet frenzy, sparking widespread criticism of both Balenciaga, as well as Kim Kardashian. However, the move isn’t entirely surprising given that Kim shied away from mentioning the scandal in season three of “Keeping up With the Kardashians’, which premiered after Balenciaga’s media meltdown. And as recently as December, the socialite attended Balenciaga’s Fall 2024 fashion show in Los Angeles. Moreover, Balenciaga has worked with the media mogul for many years with her spotting countless iconic ensembles from the brand.
Balenciaga’s new venture coincides with the launch of its ‘Closet Collection’ campaign which comprises various voguish pieces. The brand’s return was imminent, but will the introduction of Kardashian revive its tarnished reputation?
Balenciaga’s fall from grace
Scandal plagued Balenciaga when the release of its spring 2022 advertising campaign led to accusations of child exploitation. In several of the brand’s ads, children posed with teddy bears clothed in bondage gear, while books and court documents used as props in another campaign’s imagery resulted in unparalleled criticism. Thousands of social media users said the campaign was inappropriate and promoted child sexualization.
In one of the public photos of the campaign, there’s a page of the Supreme Court case United States v. Williams, which prohibited the pandering of child pornography. Coincidence? Internet sleuths didn’t think so.
Amidst the storm, a long-term friend of the brand Kim Kardashian did not cut ties with the brand. Instead, the Skims founder released a statement saying she would “reevaluate” her relationship with the Balenciaga, despite claiming she was “shaken and disgusted’ by the controversial campaign images. Meanwhile, Balenciaga filed a $25 million lawsuit against the production company behind the campaign, North Six, but the suit was soon dropped – no surprises there.
To restore its reputation, Balenciaga forged a three-year partnership with the National Children’s Alliance, which was announced following the advertising controversy. The program involves training nearly 2,000 mental health professionals to support survivors of abuse; educating the company on child protection, safety, and well-being, as well as raising public awareness of these issues.
Kim Kardashian – a lifeline or a liability for Balenciaga?
For better or worse, Kim Kardashian is one of the most influential and controversial people on the planet. Despite Balenciaga having other ambassadors, namely Nicole Kidman, Michelle Yeoh, Isabelle Huppert, and Krit Amnuaydechkorn, her name stands out for the aforementioned reason. However, Kardashian’s superstardom isn’t a fool-proof plan to restore Balenciaga’s reputation.
Since Balenciaga’s sensational announcement, internet users have expressed utter contempt over the media mogul’s willingness to be associated with the “tarnished” brand. However, other online regulars see the collaboration as one made in hell, considering that Kardashian isn’t quite the ethics exemplar herself.
The media mogul’s shape-wear brand, Skims has been in countless scandals since its inception in 2019, with its name change being the most infamous one. First launched as “Kimono” the shapewear line had to rebrand following criticism for cultural appropriation over its initial name.
After weathering that particular storm, the fast fashion brand faced many critiques for not providing adequate information on how it reduces its impact on people, the environment, and animals. Moreover, several former staff members accused Kardashian of withholding wages, refusing to pay more for overtime work, and not giving them meal breaks. With such serious allegations, one can only worry about the treatment of Skims workers abroad.
Balenciaga’s Immoral Compass
It isn’t hard to see that the mainstream fashion industry is desperately in need of an ethics overhaul. It has been almost two years since Balenciaga’s controversial campaign but it is still mind-boggling how a brand tried to market what can be deemed as borderline pedophilia all in the name of fashion. One can’t help but worry about the brand’s moral compass following that overtly inappropriate campaign shoot – especially considering that this wasn’t Balenciaga’s first bad press rodeo, even though it is by far the worst.
Over the years, the brand has been embroiled in one plagiarism scandal after the other – with the most notable one occurring during former creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere, who copied the work of a little-known designer from San Francisco named Kaisik Wong. Unfortunately, it’s vital to underscore that unethical practices aren’t unique to Balencia. They are a deep-seated problem in the fashion industry with other luxurious brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci having had their fair share of controversies over the years.
With all of that being said, it’s easy to dismiss Kardashian’s collaboration with Balenciaga as yet another PR nightmare for both parties. However, it is not far-fetched to assume that Balenciaga will gradually regain the trust of its fashionmongers, as has been done by other brands in the past. In fact, other celebrities, including Cardi B seem to have forgiven the brand as they have continued wearing it and attending its fashions shows.