Nicole Kidman caught in 'truly shocking' Paris act: 'Say it isn't so'

I was so disappointed to see beloved Aussie friends Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts walking into a Balenciaga Paris Couture show recently — with their teenage children in tow, no less. Say it isn't so, I thought! This was after the fashion house all too recently copped a lot of heat over dual controversies tying them to child exploitation material.

When children holding plush bear bags dressed in what appeared to be BDSM-inspired outfits were part of the luxe designer house's advertising campaign, I thought it was pretty much over for the esteemed fashion house. Then, when the campaign was accused of sexualising children with an image that included a document related to a Supreme Court case on child pornography laws? I mean. It’s got to be dead, I thought.

But no, the controversies seem to have been swept under the designer carpet as celebrities continue to blatantly support the brand.

It certainly isn’t a good look.

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In this era of cancel culture, doesn't this qualify?

Personally, I hate cancel culture but I still don’t understand the lack of public and celebrity admonishment the brand has faced when it did something so blatantly tasteless and devoid of class.

The fact that the brand's transgressions involved children and could have been read as a possible endorsement or trivialisation of the issue of child abuse is truly shocking and you would think would have resulted in widespread condemnation if not complete isolation for the brand.

But nothing has deterred celebs - Kim Kardashian, Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry, Michelle Yeoh - and a stack of other high-profile peeps from actually wearing the brand.

Balenciaga did issue public apologies, pulled the contentious ads and stated that they would be investigating the matter internally to understand how the content was approved.

The brand also filed a lawsuit against the production company and set designer involved in the campaign . . . though this lawsuit was later dropped.

The incident led to a wider discussion about the responsibilities of fashion brands in their advertising choices and the potential impacts of their content.

Nonetheless, nothing seemed to go any further and it’s been business as usual for Balenciaga.

Designers like Christian Dior and Coco Chanel held the late Christobal Balenciaga in the highest regard, with Dior famously stating that "he is the master of us all." Despite his reclusive nature, Balenciaga's work had a lasting impact on the fashion industry. I reckon he would now be rolling in his grave.

Anything that impacts children like this is simply unacceptable and it’s amazing that in this day and age, the controversy seems to have just quietly been forgotten. It’s a real surprise because other people and brands have been cancelled for their misdeeds and missteps.

Other designers cancelled

Some prominent designers who paid the ultimate price for indiscretions include John Galliano who in 2011 was fired as the head designer of Dior after a video surfaced showing him making anti-Semitic remarks. He was subsequently convicted of anti-Semitic behaviour by a French court and fell from grace in the fashion industry.

Designer brand Dolce & Gabbana faced backlash after releasing promotional videos in China that were deemed racially insensitive. The fallout included cancelled fashion shows in China and widespread boycotts.

Multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and assault surfaced against Alexander Wang with individuals accusing him of inappropriate behaviour - also leading to calls for boycotts of his brand.

So why not Balenciaga? Is the industry so wimpy and full of so many lightweight protagonists that some brands are too cool to be reprimanded?

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Perhaps its masterful French reputation and style are just too appealing and as for celebrities, well, they just can’t resist wearing it. Or have they just forgotten their moral code altogether in a game of follow the leader?

Either way, it's simply unacceptable. How can celebs justify still wearing these clothes after the brand has been linked to such disgusting allegations? What does it say about them?

I think it's well and truly time for them to take a step back and reflect on exactly which values they are supporting.

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