Balenciaga, one of the biggest names in the designer fashion industry, struck a sensitive spot for people all over the world.

   In 2015, Demna Gvasalia took over as Balenciaga’s artistic director and has brought the brand’s name into several scandals ever since. From crocs with heels to Kim Kardashian’s all-black Met Gala dress, the brand has repeatedly become a controversial topic on the internet.

   Balenciaga’s two most recent campaigns caused many of the brand’s former supporters to refuse to buy any more of their products. The first shoot included children with teddy bears that were dressed in bondage gear and posed in suggestive positions. On top of this, another shoot included a copy of the Supreme Court’s child pornography laws. Balenciaga received backlash for the release of both campaigns and removed them almost immediately. The brand quickly released a statement in regard to the controversy.

   According to TMZ, Balenciaga said, “We are reinforcing the structures around our creative processes and validation steps. We want to ensure that new controls mark a pivot and will prevent this from happening again. We are laying the groundwork with organizations who specialize in child protection and aim at ending child abuse and exploitation.”

   Although the brand released an apology, people were still furious with the message that the shoot implied. In addition to this, Balenciaga placed much of the blame on the shoot director and attempted to sue the production company for $25 million.

   Balenciaga was not the only name damaged by the campaigns. People affiliated with the brand like Kim Kardashian and Bella Hadid have been watched closely to see if they will release a statement and revoke their support. 

   According to TMZ Kim Kardashian disagreed with Balenciaga’s message and said, “As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.”

   Although the brand has been the center of attention, many celebrities have remained silent on the situation.