Brand success story: How did Balenciaga survive this disaster?
Nobody expected Balenciaga to get rid of the accusations that "this campaign contains pedophile elements" that were marked last year. But that was not the case at all. Demna Gvasalia's success story:
Balenciaga's image was shattered last year after shooting a campaign with pedophile elements. Campaign photographs featured children holding teddy bears in their hands and a file on child pornography that had been submitted to the US judiciary within pages scattered in an office. When it comes to Demna Gvasalia and Balenciaga, who push the boundaries with every campaign they make and say "Who doesn't like fashion scandals", it's hard to believe that all this is a coincidence.
After the scandal, the sales of the brand decreased by 9 percent in the first quarter of the year, and even Kim Kardashian, one of the regulars of the brand, announced that he would distance himself from the brand. In the face of massive criticism, extensive analysis of the photos, and social media lynching, brand, and creative director Demna almost blamed the production company with inadequate explanations and apologies. Under the #cancelbalenciaga tag opened on TikTok, users shared images of the brand's clothes that they shredded and burned, and articles criticizing the brand were written on the store windows of the brand in cities such as London and Paris. On the other hand, according to Social Blade, the brand's Instagram followers had decreased by only 20,000 since the scandal erupted in November.
“I lost the essence of fashion”
After the scandal, the brand's first show for Demna, "Will it stay or go?" would be the answer. The fashion show held in March was simple and “silent”, which had nothing to do with Balenciaga's previous stage designs. Demna said to every seat in the fashion show, “Fashion had turned into a kind of entertainment for me, but I guess this caused me to lose the essence of fashion. Fashion is forms, volumes, and silhouettes; It is the harmony between body and tissue. Clothes can change us.” For some, this note was enough of an apology. But still, no one dared to enter the door of the Balenciaga store. Until the MET Gala… Kering group reserved a special table for Demna, who was personally invited by Vogue International Editorial Director Anna Wintour, and group CEO François-Henri Pinault attended the gala with the Balenciaga team, reaffirming his commitment and belief to the brand.
In an article published in the New York Times, industry analyst Luca Solca predicted that the scandals involving luxury brands such as Gucci, Burberry, and Dior lasted only 3-6 months and that everything would return to normal for Balenciaga in the second half of 2023. Indeed, it was expected. Pinault also appeared with the Balenciaga team at Cannes, and he wasn't the only one wearing a Balenciaga at the festival; Names such as Isabelle Huppert, Salma Hayek, Michelle Yeoh, and Alton Mason posed on the red carpet with their Balenciaga brand clothes.
He hid in his shadow and it worked
In an interview with Vogue in February, Demna made a statement that she is no longer just interested in making fashion sound, she will attach more importance to producing quality, and that she will go down to the roots of fashion to understand Cristóbal Balenciaga. The Resort 2024 collection was proof of this statement. He wore oversized jackets, tote bags, and puffer trench coats that were synonymous with Demna, but none of them were innovative or revolutionary. The brand almost preferred to hide in its own shadow, and this formula worked.
In the scandals that the fashion world has faced before, brands such as Gucci, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana found a way to repair their relations with their consumers and returned to the race. Some confessed with a new brand ambassador and some with the right communication strategy. Balenciaga, on the other hand, found the solution by using his right to remain silent. In this sense, the rise of quiet luxury even became an opportunity for the brand. So much so that TikTok users called this silent forgiveness “Balenciagassance”. The concept is used to mean “overcoming the scandal despite the terrible crisis management”.
Is time the cure for every scandal when it comes to luxury brands?
Or how long is the shelf life of our value judgments?
We can look for answers to the questions in the Balenciaga scandal.