Balenciaga sues set designer and production company behind the disturbing ad with child porn themes

Balenciaga, a premium fashion brand owned by Kering SA, is suing the production company behind an advertisement after receiving harsh criticism at the start of the holiday shopping season for their holiday campaign. Balenciaga is requesting at least $25 million in damages.

Balenciaga filed a lawsuit on Friday in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, claiming that set designer Nicholas Des Jardins and production company North Six Inc. exploited court records from a child pornography case without authorization in images for the ad campaign.

The fashion brand said in court documents that as a result, the public and the media "have falsely and horrifically associated Balenciaga with the repulsive and deeply disturbing subject,”  

The photographs were removed by Balenciaga after a social media outrage and the company released a statement on Monday, Balenciaga underlined its regret and said it accepts "all ownership for our lack of management and control of the background materials," "We could have done things differently." They said. 

Kim Kardashian, Balenciaga's brand ambassador said she is reevaluating her connection with Balenciaga as a result of the controversies just yesterday.

With this suit, it seems the company is disassociating itself as far as it can from the ad.