“There's no apologizing for crimes against children”: Balenciaga creative director Demna issues apology, leaves internet unconvinced 

Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia finally addressed the brand’s controversial child ad campaign and issued an official apology for the ongoing scandal.

The fashion designer said that he is taking responsibility for the situation and apologizing for the “wrong artistic choice of concept.” He also admitted that it was “inappropriate” to feature children for the promotion of objects that “had nothing to do with them.”

Demna added that he condemns child abuse and that he will never intentionally attempt to provoke a thought “through such an awful subject.”

The creative director also mentioned that he needs to “learn” from the situation and to “listen and engage with child protection organizations” to know how he can contribute and help deal with the “terrible subject.”

The 41-year-old also noted that Balenciaga has pledged to take measures “not only to avoid similar mistakes in the future” but also to take accountability in “protecting child welfare.” Although Demna finally acknowledged the controversy following weeks of silence, his apology left netizens far from impressed.

Several social media users also mentioned that the it was "too late" for an apology and that there cannot be any excuse for "crimes against children":

Balenciaga came under fire last month after launching a controversial ad campaign for their Gift Shop collection. The ad featured children holding the brand’s plush bear purses, wearing outfits or posing around settings suggestive of alleged themes of BDSM and bondage.

The company received further criticism after a second ad for its Spring 2023 Garde-Robe advertising campaign displayed an image consisting of a printout of a the 2008 “U.S. vs. Williams” Supreme Court ruling on child p*rnography laws.

The luxury fashion house has since issued an apology and taken accountability for its actions. It has also filed a $25 million lawsuit against North Six productions and set-designer Nicholas Des Jardins for their work in the controversial campaign. Both ads have also been removed from all platforms of Balenciaga.

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Netizens reacts to Demna’s apology for Balenciaga child ad controversy

Balenciaga has continued to face the wrath of social media users and the general public ever since launching its controversial child ad campaign. The brand’s creative director Demna Gvasalia has also been under scrutiny since the scandal.

Following days of silence, Demna finally took to Instagram to apologize for the controversy and the brand’s “inappropriate” work but failed to convince the internet.

Social media users immediately took to Twitter and Instagram to react to the designer’s apology and continued to call him out for his actions:

Amid the heated reactions, Balenciaga has also taken accountability for the situation. The brand claimed that it “strongly condemns” child abuse and never intended to include disturbing content in their narrative.

The company also admitted that featuring children in their ad was a “wrong choice” and they failed to assess and validate the images. The brand said that it is “closely revising the organization” and “collective ways of working” and assured that it will ensure the “new controls mark a pivot” to prevent a similar situation in the future.

The fashion house also shared that it was laying the groundwork to work with organizations that “specialize in child protection” and aim to end “child abuse and exploitation.”