Fans have criticized Meghan Markle after she attended a Balenciaga fashion show in Paris, reigniting backlash against the luxury brand that faced controversy in 2022 over an ad campaign featuring children.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, made her Paris Fashion Week debut on Saturday, stepping out in a stylish white long-sleeved button-down tunic with a flowing cape and matching slacks.
According to her spokesperson, Markle attended the event to support her friend Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently took over as the Creative Director for Balenciaga.
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While many fans praised Markle’s elegant look, others took to social media to question her decision to appear at the event, accusing her of hypocrisy given her advocacy for children’s welfare.
One Instagram user wrote, “The ‘duchess’ of hypocrisy — a lady who claims to defend children’s interests going to a show that ran a disgusting campaign with children.” Another commented, “Why would she go to a Balenciaga show? How could any mother support that brand?”
Others were more direct, calling her appearance “gross” and “tone-deaf.” One user added, “Irony — a cancelled woman turns up for a cancelled brand.”
Balenciaga came under fire in November 2022 after releasing a campaign featuring children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage-style outfits, sparking widespread outrage. The fashion house later apologized for the “inappropriate imagery” and dropped a $25 million lawsuit it had filed against the producers of the campaign.
Despite the controversy, several celebrities — including Kim Kardashian — have since returned to wearing Balenciaga.
