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Bella Hadid seemingly deletes Balenciaga post amid ‘BDSM’ backlash

By
Melissa Minton
Published Nov. 23, 2022, 5:47 p.m. ET
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Bella Hadid is distancing herself from Balenciaga.

The high fashion brand has recently been under fire for its latest ad campaign, which features children holding stuffed animals that appear to be wearing bondage-inspired outfits.

One eagle-eyed watchdog even pointed out that one image seemingly included an excerpt from a US Supreme Court case that upheld part of a federal child pornography law.

In other images from the campaign, celebrities including Bella Hadid and Nicole Kidman model the fashion house’s latest designs for adults — which the supermodel posted on her Instagram on Tuesday.

The ad campaign featured children models holding stuffed animals dressed in bondage. Jam Press/Balenciaga

However, Hadid, 26, seemingly deleted the image on Wednesday amid the backlash.

Though she removed the newest campaign from her social media, fans were quick to show their disdain for her connection to the brand on previous posts promoting a recent Balenciaga and Adidas collaboration starring the model, leaving comments with #cancelbalenciaga.

Fans were immediately outraged and Balenciaga apologized and removed the images swiftly. Jam Press/Balenciaga

“Can’t believe these celebrities have no care for the children at all! You work with a label that have sexually exploited children in their ad campaigns! But because the people spoke up they’ve apologised [sic] … they wouldn’t have otherwise and you puppets are ok with it all?!,” one person commented.

“Please address the unethical aspects of this campaign it’s a f disgrace and you shouldn’t be associated with that muck,” another said.

The brand pulled the controversial images off of social media — and deleted every post from their Instagram amid an onslaught of negativity.

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They later addressed the criticism in a statement, which 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’s safety and well-being.”

Photographer Gabriele Galimberti also responded to the hate, denying that he had any input on the creative direction of the photoshoot.

Hadid has also modeled for the brand on numerous occasions. Getty Images

“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,” he wrote in part on Instagram.

Galimberti claimed that he was tasked to light the prepared set and shoot in his “signature style,” but said that the “direction of the campaign and the choice of the objects displayed” were not his.

Hadid has yet to make an official statement.

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