UAE retail stores such as Bloomingdales, Level Shoes and The Luxury Closet continue to sell Balenciaga despite the brand’s holiday campaign that scandalised the world over.
The luxury retail stores are yet to come to a decision on the brand’s product sales, unlike ‘The Closet’, which has dropped the sales of all the company’s products from stores and its website until further notice.
“The Closet will stop accepting Balenciaga and we have taken down all Balenciaga products from our stores and website till further notice,” the luxury retailer announced via social media.
Meanwhile, the Balenciaga campaign has been withdrawn by the brand and has been dropped by various companies and big names.
Balenciaga has also issued an apology and filed a $25 million lawsuit against the producers.
“We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused,” the statement read.
“We strongly condemn the abuse of children in any form, we stand for children safety and wellbeing,” the statement concluded.
Kim Kardashian, Balenciaga ambassador spoke out following the controversy, “I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.”
Balenciaga has filed a lawsuit against the production company responsible for the campaign and its agent, Nicholas Des Jardins.
The brand has taken off or hidden all posts on Instagram and is now a blank page with 14.4 million followers.
The campaign’s photographer Gabriele Galimberti “was not entitled in whatsoever manner to neither chose the products, nor the models, nor the combination of the same,” via Instagram.
Galimberti added: “As a photographer, I was only and solely requested to lit the given scene, and take the shots according to my signature style. As usual for a commercial shooting, the direction of the campaign and the choice of the objects displayed are not in the hands of the photographer.”
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