Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna, has given his first interview since the brand’s BDSM ad scandal last year.
The fashion house came under fire at the end of 2022 for two different campaigns, one of which featured children holding teddy bears that were outfitted in bondage-style leather outfits.
While backlash — from fans and celebrities alike — was swift, the company addressed the controversy and apologized for the nature of the shoot. Demna also released a statement at the time, calling the ads “inappropriate.”
Now, the Georgian fashion designer is planning to take a break from ruffling feathers and shift his focus to designing clothes.
“I realise that my work has been seen as provocative, but this specific situation would never be part of my, you know, provocative nature,” Demna told Vogue.
“Balenciaga is a house that is over one century old and is based on strong and beautiful creative values, and I have been busy doing all in my creative power to bring it to its modern relevance, and suddenly we were under attack and labelled as something we’re not at all.”
Demna said that he was “shocked” and “completely stunned” to learn about the court document props seen in the background of another Balenciaga ad, printed with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of United States v. Williams — which confirmed that First Amendment rights did not include the promotion of child pornography.
He called the presence of these documents in two separate photoshoots that were filmed in different locations months apart a total “coincidence,” but vowed to be more involved in every detail of his brand’s campaign ideation and have others oversee the details more stringently.
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