Balenciaga Designer Addresses Brand’s Controversy in First Interview Since Scandal: “This Was an Error of Judgment”

Balenciaga is back in the news.

On the heels of a new report from New York Times fashion writer Vanessa Friedman — a piece that called it “make or break time” for the luxury brand ahead of a March 5 show in Paris, one she billed as “the single most fraught show of the season” or any season following a “spectacular fall from grace” late last year — Vogue published the first interview Balenciaga’s creative director Demna has done since the controversy exploded.

In it, he once again apologizes for two ad campaigns that were widely condemned for using props like lawsuit papers related to a child pornography case and the casting of children holding teddy bear handbags that looked to be bondage-inspired (Demna claims the designs were meant to reference “punk and DIY culture”), among other questionable items. He also details the house’s new protocols and explains how the situation has created a shift that will lead him back to his true love — designing clothes.

Per Vogue, which published the Q&A without a writer byline, the Demna interview included “a series of lengthy conversations” in Paris earlier in 2023. It begins with the designer offering an explanation for how the two campaigns came together — one for Spring 2023 and the other a “gift shop” campaign for the holidays that featured an array of the brand’s products — with him taking responsibility for approving the details and overall vision.

“There were control processes in place, people involved — internal and external — but we just did not spot what was problematic,” said Demna, who has gone by his first name only since 2021. “This was an error of judgment. I regret this a lot. We learned from this now and there are going to be closer and more attentive checks and validation steps applied before any image goes out. For this I want to say I am sorry; I sincerely apologize for what happened and to anyone who has been hurt by it.”

He claims that the appearance of the questionable props — a printout of the Supreme Court ruling regarding the promotion of child pornography, a book by the Belgian artist Michaël Borremans, who has stirred controversy in the past regarding paintings of children with sinister themes and a faux college certificate with ties to a convicted child abuser — is coincidental. Those involved in that shoot included production company North Six, set designer Nicholas Des Jardins and his company.

“It’s the only explanation that is plausible to me. That’s the only way I can explain it. Obviously, if you look for the dots, you can connect anything, but I don’t have any other explanation for it,” he said, adding, “What I can definitely say is that it was not intentional by me or Balenciaga. If it was intentional by someone else, I don’t know.”

Because Demna has been known to be a provocateur, he believes that played into how the campaigns were called into question, with many alleging that it was somehow intentional on his part to stir controversy. He said that wasn’t the case and as such, he’s ready to move on from pushing buttons.

“The provocative aspect of my work often got misinterpreted and misunderstood, and I no longer feel like applying it to my designs. I often used some kind of wit in my design language, and it has often been deemed provocative. For me, it was more about having fun and not taking fashion too seriously,” he explained. “Despite what many people may have suspected, the issue with the campaigns was absolutely not in any way part of my provocative design language — never, ever would I have an idea to mess around with such an awful and horrible thing as child abuse.”

He touched on how the controversy has impacted Balenciaga. “I have seen a lot of drama in my life, but this was particularly hard to live [through], a mistake to learn from. It was mostly painful for me because I could not explain all of this, but also, the name of Balenciaga and the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga is one I cherish and have the utmost respect and fascination for,” he said. “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 labeled as something we’re not at all.”

In terms of how policies have been changed in the wake of the scandal, Demna said Balenciaga has established new rules “of checks and validations that go through multiple channels, internal and external, for the image to be checked and approved.” He noted the creation of an image board and a more discerning attitude that will lead him to question everything.

“It really changes my way of working, which has previously been more instinctive; doing something that would be seen as maybe provocative just because I was thinking, ‘Oh, that’s fun.’ This is part of my learning: I will have a more mature and serious approach to everything I release as an idea or an image. I have decided to go back to my roots in fashion as well as to the roots of Balenciaga, which is making quality clothes — not making image or buzz.”

About that learning, Balenciaga and the Kering Foundation also announced a new partnership with the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) on its newly launched Mental Health Institute for three years, an initiative that seeks to help kids heal from trauma. NCA will also help educate Balenciaga on child protection. Even with apologies and the implementation of new protocols, questions remain about how Balenciaga’s consumers and celebrity friends will respond, and how many stars, if any, will show up to the upcoming runway presentation.

Amid calls for a boycott, Balenciaga muse Kim Kardashian condemned the ads by posting on social media, “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.”

If Demna’s comments are any indication, while they have had close collaborations with many boldfaced names — people like Kardashian, ex-husband Kanye West, Bella Hadid, Nicole Kidman, Isabelle Huppert, Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber, among others — the emphasis moving forward may be less about stars and more about threads.

He continued: “The emphasis is on my love for the craft of making clothes now. I have already referenced that in our couture collections, but now it is going to be applied to all the rest. That is ultimately why I do what I do. My interest lies in armholes, sleeve heads and shoulder lines, not in making seasonal campaigns, even if that is also part of my job.”