So, how long is a brand canceled? In the case of Balenciaga, not long at all as rapper Cardi B made her runway debut for the disgraced brand over the weekend.
It’s been only a little over a year since Balenciaga’s name was rightfully dragged through the mud for its holiday ad campaign in November 2022 which featured wildly uncomfortable images of children holding teddy bears decorated in bondage costumes.
Almost immediately after the photos dropped, the hashtag #cancelBalenciaga took over the internet, and several celebrities voiced their concerns on social media. One Bachelor Nation couple even burned all of her Balenciaga gear in a video.
Days after the criticism started, mother-of-four Kim Kardashian — one of the most vocal supporters of the brand — broke her silence on the matter by posting on X: “As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.”
Although the brand and designer, Demna, released apologies for the distasteful campaign, they didn’t wait much time to make their reemergence, putting on a show only a few months later. Quietly, celebs started wearing Balenciaga again in May for the Met Gala.
Fast forward to this weekend, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper, who became an ambassador for the brand back in 2020, strutted down the runway in a closed street in Los Angeles, sporting a faux fur blue coat. She’s been an avid supporter of Demna since becoming something of a fashion icon, posting his praises on behalf of herself and her husband, Offset, who’s also walked the runway for the brand.
The interesting part about Cardi willingly walking for Balenciaga is that she often takes to the internet to speak out against the things she finds wrong in society, especially when it comes to human rights and political issues.
Just this past April, Cardi took to the internet to express her reasons for being extremely protective of children after a sickening video went viral of Dalai Lama’s inappropriate behavior with a child. Which makes us wonder...why did Balenciaga get a pass?