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Summer Walker Says Cancel Balenciaga “Like Y’all Canceled Kyrie & Kanye” 

Summer Walker
By: London JennnCategory: News

Summer Walker called for Balenciaga to be canceled after their ad campaign featuring children holding bears wearing S&M harnesses.

Summer Walker joined those calling for Balenciaga to be canceled after the high-end French fashion brand launched their recent holiday campaign featuring children carrying the brand’s ‘plush bear bags’, which are wearing bondage-style harnesses. 

Social media users began sharing the hashtag #cancelBalenciaga once the images appeared online, blasting the brand for “sexualising” children.  

Summer Walker took to her Instagram Stories to add her thoughts on Balenciaga. She shared a Fox News report about the issue, adding, “Cancel then how y’all canceled Kyrie and Kanye.” 

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Balenciaga Apologizes Following Backlash

Meanwhile, Balenciaga issued an apology in response to the backlash, admitting children should never have featured in the campaign.  

“We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused,” read a statement on their Instagram Stories. “Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms.” 

However, hours later, Balenciaga issued a second apology after social media sleuths pointed out references to child pornography in the adverts.  

The second statement reads: “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.”

In conclusion Balenciaga said, “We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children safety and well-being.” 

The label removed all posts from their IG page and also reportedly threatened to sue the photographer who shot the campaign.  

In response to the threat of legal action, Gabriele Galimberti told Newsweek: “I am not in a position to comment [on] Balenciaga’s choices, but I must stress that I was not entitled in whatsoever manner to neither choose the products, nor the models, nor the combination of the same.” 

Check out some of the social media reactions below.  

https://twitter.com/Linda_Bieniek/status/1595634032787615744?s=20&t=X3q-UZ8Q0AT7IhqnLxbKJg
https://twitter.com/josepharino/status/1595618147725635585?s=20&t=X3q-UZ8Q0AT7IhqnLxbKJg