Balenciaga selling $360 hat destroyed by a laser in latest bizarre move
Balenciaga is capping its apparent campaign to incite outrage — this time with laser focus.
The embattled brand is selling a baseball cap destroyed by a laser with a price tag of $360.
The Laser Destroyed Cap has two gaping holes on the sides of the peak and looks tattered with frayed blue cotton material coming off.
Though the hat has a “destroyed effect,” it’s sold as brand new and is embroidered with the Balenciaga logo. The Post has reached out to Balenciaga for comment.
Balenciaga — which has been associated with the likes of Kim Kardashian — came under fire last November after putting out a series of ads featuring children in Balenciaga apparel, holding plush toys that wear bondage get-ups.
In one image, a ginger-haired little girl sported a T-shirt from the brand while holding the strap connected to a white bear, which was in a vest with a padlocked choker around its neck.
In another, a brunette child donned a blue outfit while clutching a purple plush animal, which was sporting similar BDSM attire.
Though the hat has a “destroyed effect,” it’s sold as brand new.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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The Laser Destroyed Cap has two gaping holes on the sides of the peak and looks tattered and torn.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
The Laser Destroyed Cap has two gaping holes on the sides of the peak and looks tattered and torn.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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The Laser Destroyed Cap has two gaping holes on the sides of the peak and looks tattered and torn.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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Online shoppers were infuriated, calling the images “frightening,” “creepy” and “wrong.”
The fashion house was quick to pull the ads and later addressed the controversial campaign in an Instagram post.
“We strongly condemn child abuse; it was never our intent to include it in the narrative,” Balenciaga wrote in the statement. “Our plush bear bags and the gift collection should have not been featured with children.”
“This was a wrong choice by Balenciaga, combined with our failure in assessing and validating images,” the fashion label added. “The responsibility for this lies with Balenciaga alone.”
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Balenciaga is selling a baseball cap destroyed by a laser with a price tag of $360.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
Balenciaga is selling a baseball cap destroyed by a laser with a price tag of $360.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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Balenciaga is selling a baseball cap destroyed by a laser with a price tag of $360.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
Balenciaga is selling a baseball cap destroyed by a laser with a price tag of $360.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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The company also addressed the inclusion in one of the ads of legal documents from a Supreme Court case that ruled on child porn laws.
“The second, separate campaign for spring 2023, which was meant to replicate a business office environment, included a photo from a page in the background from a Supreme Court ruling ‘United States v. Williams’ 2008 which confirms as illegal and not protected by freedom of speech the promotion of child pornography,” Balenciaga wrote. “All the items included in this shooting were provided by third parties that confirmed in writing that these props were fake office documents.”
They added, “They turned out to be [real legal] papers most likely coming from the filming of a television drama.”
Balenciaga attributed the “inclusion of these unapproved documents” to “reckless negligence,” presumably by a contract worker hired for the photo shoot, whom “Balenciaga has filed a complaint” over.
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The cap is embroidered with the Balenciaga logo.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
The cap is embroidered with the Balenciaga logo.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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The cap is embroidered with the Balenciaga logo.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
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The luxury brand filed a $25 million lawsuit against the producers of the ad but later dropped the lawsuit.
Balenciaga wrote on Instagram that it takes “full accountability for our lack of oversight and control of the documents in the background,” adding that it “could have done things differently” and pledged to do so going forward amid ongoing investigations.
Creative director Demna also spoke out about the campaign, writing in a lengthy statement on Instagram, “I want to personally apologize for the wrong artistic choice of concept for the gifting campaign with the kids and I take my responsibility. It was inappropriate to have kids promote objects that had nothing to do with them.”
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Balenciaga came under fire last November after putting out a series of ads featuring children in Balenciaga apparel, holding plush toys that wear bondage get-ups.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
Balenciaga came under fire last November after putting out a series of ads featuring children in Balenciaga apparel, holding plush toys that wear bondage get-ups.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
Advertisement
Balenciaga came under fire last November after putting out a series of ads featuring children in Balenciaga apparel, holding plush toys that wear bondage get-ups.
Jam Press/Balenciaga
Advertisement
Balenciaga has previously been slammed for Demna’s bizarre, pricey creations, like a $1,790 purse that resembled a trash bag.
The company also announced it will partner with a children’s advocacy group after facing backlash.
It was reported earlier this month that Balenciaga is hiring a crisis management expert after the backlash — which they admitted has affected its bottom line.
