Balenciaga's Ads Feature Child-BDSM, Creepy Belgian Painter Known For Pedophilia-themed Work

Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti promoted images as part of a project series he called 'Toy Stories,' in an apparent reference to the Disney/Pixar film series. This is part of global Spanish fashion house Balenciaga's bondage-themed campaign photoshoot.

One photo on the Fashion brand's online store shows a BDMS-themed photo of a young ginger-haired child standing on a plush pink bed while holding a white teddy bag by its leather strap. As well as having spiky leather bracelets around the bear's arms and legs, the soft toy is dressed in a mesh crop top with a chain and padlock around its neck.

The gift shop section of the website features another image of a child standing on a sofa and holding a purple furry toy bag. Along with a leather S&M get-up, the plush toy is also wearing what looks like a black lace thong. In the background of the image, a blue toy bag has been placed on a side table and is wrapped in more studded leather bands.

One of the photos in the shoot bizarrely contained an excerpt from the 2008 US Supreme Court opinion in United States v. Williams, which upheld part of a federal child pornography law. The ruling determined that offering or requesting to transfer, sell, deliver, or trade child pornography did not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, even if a person charged under the code did not in fact possess child pornography with which to trade. The late Justice Antonin Scalia noted specifically that offers to engage in illegal transactions are categorically excluded from First Amendment protection.

Balenciaga dresses many Hollywood celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Nicole Kidman. And outraged parents on social media, are calling them out for not speaking out against the disturbing photoshoot, especially because they are known to comment on any cultural controversy to boost their 'woke' bona fides.

Kardashian 42, was seen recently, wearing Balenciaga as she left her LA office after a shoot. She has also been seen wearing Adidas. Both fashion brands dropped her ex-husband Ye, 45, after his supposedly antisemitic comments, which she herself spoke out against at the time.

Candace Owens Podcast host called out Kim and her sister Khloe: "It was so great to see @KimKardashian use her platform to condemn antisemitism," Owens tweeted. "Let’s see if she’ll use that same platform to condemn the blatant child pornography documents being promoted in #Balenciaga ads, since she is one of the faces of the brand. @khloekardashian —you too!"

Balenciaga on its part, appeared to be 'throwing Galimberti, under the bus' in a statement on Tuesday, suggesting they will take legal action against the photographer.

"We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused," the statement reads. "Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms. 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."

The company pulled the controversial ads. But in a tone-deaf move, it replaced them with a campaign featuring controversial Belgian painter and filmmaker Michaël Borremans (born 1963) who lives and works in Ghent. Disturbing themes in his work include pedophilia, dark religion, blood ritual, occultism, cannibalism and racism.

Balenciaga's new ad campaign featured a red-hair model holding an “Hourglass Small Croc-Embossed Top-Handle Bag.” In the background was a copy of Borremans’s book sitting on the desk next to the model.