Demna has finally spoken.
Balenciaga’s creative director apologized on Instagram Friday morning for his brand’s controversial campaign featuring young children holding teddy bears clad in BDSM gear, following widespread outrage over the shocking ads.
“I want to personally apologize for the wrong artistic choice of concept for the gifting campaign with the kids and I take my responsibility,” the designer, 41, started his post.
“It was inappropriate to have kids promote objects that had nothing to do with them,” he continued, adding that although he wants “to provoke a thought” in his campaigns, he “would NEVER have an intention to do that with such an awful subject as child abuse.”
“I need to learn from this, listen and engage with child protection organizations to know how I can contribute and help on this terrible subject,” he added.
On Monday, Balenciaga posted a statement apologizing for the campaign as a brand, but this marks the first time Demna — who recently dropped his last name, Gvasalia — has spoken out personally on the matter.
“We would like to address the controversies surrounding our recent ad campaigns,” the label’s earlier apology read. “We strongly condemn child abuse; it was never our 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.”
A number of stars have spoken out against the disturbing ads, throwing their designer pieces in the trash or even — in the case of “Bachelor” alums Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham — setting them on fire.
Kim Kardashian, a longtime fan of the brand as well as one of its celebrity muses, said she was “re-evaluating” her relationship with Balenciaga after fans urged her to speak out about the ads.
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