Why Gucci and Harry Styles are facing flak for an ad featuring a child’s bed and teddy bear tee
Why Gucci and Harry Styles are facing flak for an ad featuring a child’s bed and teddy bear tee
It’s yet another faux pas by a fashion brand – an advertisement gone wrong. Italian luxury giant Gucci and singer-songwriter Harry Styles have stirred a massive row over their latest “HA HA HA” campaign.
The controversy comes just a few weeks after its sister brand Balenciaga received backlash for a holiday endorsement featuring children holding teddy bears in bondage harnesses and another one with an image of a US Supreme Court ruling on child pornography.
The new ad starring Harry Styles is also receiving hate for the use of “inappropriate” pictures and child-like imagery.
Notably, both- Gucci and Balenciaga are owned by The Kering Group, an influential luxury firm which is run by French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault.
Also read: Daughter reveals her father clicked a picture with Harry Styles without recognising him
Let us take a closer look at the controversy:
Harry Styles’ controversial ad for Gucci
The latest Gucci campaign features Styles wearing a T-shirt with an angry-looking pink teddy bear. In the pictures shared on the fashion house’s Instagram handle, he can be seen standing next to a child-size mattress.
On the T-shirt, the words written are, “I want more berries and that summer feeling,” which is a part of the lyrics from his pop song titled “Watermelon Sugar” from his 2019’s studio album, Fine Line.
The brand captioned the pictures as, “A performance piece starring Harry Styles and the Gucci HA HA HA collection.”
In one photo, the singer is seen standing in front of a small mattress with his hands in his pockets. Others showed him carrying the bed under his arm.
The Italian luxury brand on its website stated that the images depict Styles’ “showcase the dream wardrobe” defined by the eccentric use of romantic accents, whimsical prints, vintage details, and the expressive emotionality of the individual.”
Notably, the brand announced the “HA HA HA” campaign was conceived by former creative director Alessandro Michele, in November, as per Yahoo! News.
Sharing a press release, Gucci revealed its collaboration with the musician by saying, “play is at the very heart of the Gucci HA HA HA collection.”
Criticism of the ad
Among those to publicly call out the brand’s latest ad campaign is Alexandra Gucci Zarini, whose great-grandfather founded the fashion house.
According to The Daily Mail, Zarini took to Instagram and wrote, “Why would you create a ‘performance piece’ with a toddler’s mattress and an adult man? My concerns are that there seems to be a common ideology across Kering’s fashion houses.”
Netizens denounced the new ad campaign and asked Gucci to “stop this kind of advertising”.
An Instagram user commented, “Is this an ad for kids mattresses? If not… why is a kids mattress included with a man in a fashion ad… what are you trying to normalise.”
While another one exclaimed, “Hey, Gucci… LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!”
One user quipped, “What was the creative thinking behind including a toddler bed? What’s the narrative? Who’s idea was this and where did they find this inspo? I’m disturbed.”
Another commentator wrote, “Just stop this kind of advertising!!! All of us are aware.”
The similarity between Balenciaga and Gucci ad campaigns
Several weeks ago, Balenciaga was embroiled in a massive controversy for his similar holiday ad campaign.
In the campaign pictures, papers from the Supreme Court case regarding federal child pornography and children holding teddy bears with bondage-related accessories were seen.
Netizens were quick enough to denounce the campaign and questioned the necessity of utilising pictures of children.
Also read: Fashion Faux Pas: Balenciaga’s new campaign and the history of shocking advertisements
Balenciaga’s apology
Following the criticism, Balenciaga issued two statements on Instagram, apologising for the campaign. It said that plush bears “should not have been featured with children in this campaign”.
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