People aren't letting Balenciaga off of the hook just yet. The powerhouse fashion brand has been a leading force across global runways, but they were entangled in scandal following their latest campaign. In the photos, Balenciaga posed small children in compromising bedroom scenes. The layouts included bondage gear strewn across beds and teddy bears dressed in BDSM attire.
Balenciaga faces major pushback from the general public as they stand accused of sexually exploiting children. However, a parent of one child who modeled for the now-deleted campaign doesn't have any complaints.
Read More: Balenciaga Apologizes For Posing Kids With Bears In Bondage
The parent spoke with Daily Mail and wanted to remain anonymous.
"No parent would actively encourage the child to take part in something which was pornographic," they said. "And I think the publicity surrounding what happened has been blown out of all proportion." They also called the experience an "enjoyable day."
They also defended the photographer, Gabriele Galimberti, who has endured harsh criticism for moving forward with the shoot. Further, they said if they felt "at any time" that the photoshoot was inappropriate, they "would have stepped in." No one had any objections.
"I feel desperately sorry for Gabriele, this had nothing directly to do with him, they said. "He was merely taking the photographs as requested by Balenciaga. The parents of the children were at the shoot, and they approved of what took place."
Read More: People Ask Why Balenciaga Hasn’t Been “Canceled” Like Kanye & Kyrie
Additionally, Balenciaga issued formal apologies for the campaign.
“We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign," they wrote. Balenciaga also apologized for displaying real-life court documents of a child abuse case in the 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."
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