“It's a really terrible narrative to put out there”: New York Times Balenciaga QAnon conspiracy theory claim comes under scrutiny

Balenciaga has continued to face major backlash ever since launching its controversial ad campaigns earlier this month. One of the ads for the brand’s Gift Shop collection featured children holding plush bear purses while wearing clothes reportedly inspired by themes of BDSM and bondage.

Another ad for its Spring 2023 Garde-Robe advertising campaign displayed an image consisting of a printout of the 2008 “U.S. vs. Williams” Supreme Court ruling on child p*rnography laws. Both the ads were removed from all platforms of the brand in response to the outrage.

In the wake of the controversy, a New York Times article surrounding the scandal titled “When High Fashion and QAnon Collide” also came under scrutiny. The article provided details about the two ad campaigns and discussed about the “firestorm” it caused “from the internet to Fox News.”

The story also attempted to shed light on the “allegations” surfacing on the internet that Balenciaga allegedly “condoned child exploitation.” As the article made the rounds online, netizens questioned the publication for referencing the QAnon conspiracy theory in relation to a sensitive situation.

Some also mentioned that it was “terrible narrative” to share in the wake of the controversy:

Amid the growing outrage, online debates and internet theories about Balenciaga and its operation, the brand issued a statement saying that it “strongly condemns child abuse” and made a “wrong choice” by featuring children in its campaign.

While the company filed a $25 million lawsuit against the North Six production house and set-designer Nicholas Des Jardins for their work surrounding the controversial campaign, it also took accountability for its own actions.

---

What did The New York Times write about the Balenciaga ad campaign and QAnon conspiracy theory?

The QAnon is an American political conspiracy theory and movement that revolves around claims and speculations made by an anonymous individual dubbed as “Q.”

The basis of the theory lies in the belief that a “cabal” of Satanic and cannibalistic child abusers operating a global trafficking ring conspired against Donald Trump during his term as the US president.

QAnon followers have often accused Democrats, Hollywood actors, prominent government officials, and business tycoons, among others, of being part of the cabal. Over the years, QAnon conspiracy theories went viral in internet culture and eventually took the form of a political movement.

Members of the movement reportedly started appearing at Trump’s reelection rallies in 2018 and later took part in overturning the results of the 2020 US presidential election.

In light of the recent Balenciaga scandal surrounding its controversial ad campaigns, the New York Times published an article on the situation with an emphasis on “high fashion” colliding with “QAnon.”

The story briefly touched upon the string of controversies Balenciaga has faced since Demna Gvasalia’s appointment as the artistic director of the brand in 2015 and discussed the latest ad campaign scandal in detail.

It mentioned that the campaigns “ignited a firestorm that traveled from the internet to Fox News” and became fueled by allegations that “Balenciaga condoned child exploitation.” The publication described the controversy as “one of the most explicit collisions of internet culture, politics, fashion and conspiracy theories to date.”

The article also mentioned that the Balenciaga controversy “took off” as the stories surrounding the scandal and the online backlash were “picked up across right-leaning media outlets, including The New York Post and the prime-time Fox News show Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

The publication also alleged that Carlson’s show has often helped to “publicize and mainstream” the QAnon theory.

It also discussed the brand’s response to the situation, explained the $25 million lawsuit and explored the possible future consequences the fashion house could face due to the controversy.

---

Twitter reacts to the New York Times’ article on Balenciaga scandal and QAnon theory

Netizens questioned The New York Times' article on Balenciaga controversy and QAnon reference (Image via Getty Images)

Amid the ongoing backlash against Balenciaga and its controversial child ad campaign, a New York Times article referencing the QAnon theory in relation to the scandal also came under scrutiny.

Several social media users took to Twitter to react to the story. Many also said that the brand’s inappropriate ad campaign has no relation to QAnon and that the outrage against the campaign is not "politically motivated":

As reactions continued to pour in online, Elizabeth Paton, one of the writers of the New York Times article, responded by saying that the story “makes no apologies for Balenciaga's decisions.”

The writer also clarified that the article is not dubbing the scandal “a conspiracy” but saying it gained momentum in the U.S. after being featured “by conservative news outlets,” some of which allegedly worked to bring "QAnon to the mainstream.”

In its official statement about the ad campaign controversy, Balenciaga mentioned that it is “closely revising the organization” and “collective ways of working.”

The brand also assured that it will ensure the “new controls mark a pivot” to prevent a similar situation in the future, while laying the groundwork to work with organizations that “specialize in child protection” and aim to end “child abuse and exploitation.”