'I regret this a lot.' Two months after Balenciaga's controversy, the brand's designer has spoken.

Fashion house Balenciaga is known for its daring fashion and edgy designs, often pushing the envelope. 

But last November, critics said that the luxury brand took things too far in its most recent ad campaign. For context, the Spanish designer brand released a new campaign for its Objects line – which includes items like dog bowls, trinkets, plush furnishings and more. 

One of the new items featured was a teddy bear toy wearing BDSM gear – specifically a leather bondage set and leather cuffs. Another teddy bear available to purchase had two black eyes, as though it had been beaten.

In the campaign photoshoot, these assorted objects – most of which would be categorised as adult in nature – were photographed with kids alongside them. In one of the pictures, a child model was lying on the couch on their stomach surrounded by the objects, a wine glass positioned nearby. Some suggested it looked as though the child model was made to look intoxicated.

The campaign was shot by well-known photographer Gabriele Galimberti, known for his portraits of children surrounded by their possessions. 

They said they "strongly condemn child abuse" and it was never their intent "to include it in our narrative".

"The two separate ad campaigns in question reflect a series of grievous errors for which Balenciaga takes responsibility. All the items included in this shooting were provided by third parties that confirmed in writing that these props were fake office documents. They turned out to be real legal papers most likely coming from the filming of a television drama."

Balenciaga said that they take full responsibility and accountability for their involvement in the controversy, and for their "lack of oversight and control".

Most recently, the brand has wiped their social media account and announced their partnership with the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) to support children heal from trauma, protect children at harm and raise public awareness on child abuse and child protection.

This article was originally published on November 29, 2022, and has been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Balenciaga/Getty.

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