Kim Kardashian is finally speaking out about the Balenciaga ad campaign controversy!
As we’ve been reporting, the high-end fashion company faced backlash under fire this week when it released inappropriate images that featured children holding teddy bears in bondage gear. Other pictures also included documents referring to the Supreme Court’s child pornography laws. The brand issued two separate apologies after facing backlash from social media users, including one that read:
“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 safety and well-being.”
Related: Teresa Giudice Blasted For Wearing Balenciaga Amid Controversy!
Balenciaga has since sued the production company North Six and set designer Nicholas De Jardins and his company over the child pornography law docs being included in the campaign. They claimed to have had no knowledge of the court docs being included on the set. Meanwhile, the photographer Gabriele Galimberti insisted he had no control over the pictures. Basically, everyone is trying to deflect and avoid taking responsibility for what happened.
Amid the backlash, many people have been begging celebrities, especially Kim, who has been tied to Balenciaga for years now, to speak out about the issue. Instagram users have been flooding the reality star’s posts to say something about the matter, and now she finally has. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum took to Instagram on Sunday to address the Balenciaga backlash, as well as why she has remained quiet on the matter until now.
“I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been shocked 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 those disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it should have no place in our society — period.”
She continued:
“I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. 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.”
While you may have thought Kim would be cutting ties with Balenciaga, it does not sound like that will be happening based on her statement. Read her entire message (below):
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[Image via MEGA/WENN]