Balenciaga files $25m lawsuit over ‘BDSM teddy bear’ ad campaign featuring children

Balenciaga has filed a $25m lawsuit against the producers of a controversial ad campaign.

The Paris-based fashion house came under fire recently over ads showing pictures of children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage outfits.

Among clothing worn by the toys in the ads are fishnet stockings, chokers, string vests and chains – leading to many branding the images “disturbing”.

Another advert in the campaign included legal documents from a US Supreme Court decision on images of child abuse.

Balenciaga brought a lawsuit on Friday against production company North Six, Inc. and set designer Nicholas Des Jardins and his eponymous company.

It will seek “redress for extensive damages defendants caused in connection with an advertising campaign Balenciaga hired them to produce,” a New York State Supreme Court summons alleges.

The high-end brand claims that North Six and Des Jardins included the images of the court documents without its knowledge, which it says was “malevolent or, at the very least, extraordinarily reckless”.

“As a result of Defendants’ misconduct, members of the public, including the news media, have falsely and horrifically associated Balenciaga with the repulsive and deeply disturbing subject of the court decision,” filing papers read.

The campaign was initially released over Paris Fashion Week, and was intended to support the brand’s spring 2023 collection.

On November 22, Balenciaga issued an apology and announced it had pulled the offensive ads.

“We sincerely apologise for any offence 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 posted on Instagram.

It added: “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 [sic] safety and well-being.”

The photographer who captured the teddy bear images for Balenciaga, Gabriele Galimberti, said in a social media statement that he had no control over the direction and contents of the images.

He wrote: “As a photographer, I was only and solely requested to lit the given scene, and take the shots according to my signature style.

“As usual for a commercial shooting, the direction of the campaign and the choice of the objects displayed are not in the hands of the photographer.”

Among the fashion house’s critics was American entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, who said she was “re-evaluating” her relationship with Balenciaga.

“As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images,” she wrote in a social media post.

“The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalise child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.”

She added: “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.

“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 — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”

Kardashian and her ex-husband Kanye West are known for their links to Balenciaga, and recently walked her first Paris couture show with the brand, describing it as “a dream come true”.

The controversy comes following reports that the fashion house cut ties with West amid ongoing backlash from anti-Semitic remarks made online by the US rapper.