Gucci and Harry Styles Face Major Backlash After Similar Balenciaga Ad

It’s safe to say luxury house Gucci didn’t learn anything from the Balenciaga fiasco. If anything, it took a page from its competitor’s book and is trying the “toddler thing” again.

A new Gucci campaign featured singer and actor Harry Styles with a teddy bear shirt holding a very child-like bed. The HA HA HA collection was released last month, but after Balenciaga’s campaign was received negatively, the public didn’t want to receive Gucci’s campaign at all.

Balenciaga has been widely criticized for the past months after its ad featured toddlers holding teddy bears in bondage gear and documents from a child pornography Supreme Court case in the photo shoot.

Though Gucci is a family-house hold name, the founder’s great-granddaughter, Alexandra Gucci Zarini, doesn’t like what is happening.

“Why would you create a ‘performance piece’ with a toddler’s mattress and an adult man,” Zarani wrote on Instagram.

“My concerns are that there seems to be a common ideology across Kering’s fashion houses.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmEgnEnsv-Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=933ec421-8822-4780-8e9c-006715068c50

The Instagram post is still up as of now, and here are some reactions.

“Why does #Gucci have Harry Styles, a grown man, posing with a child’s houseplant and a child’s sofa?” https://t.co/OgeTxnaVQn pic.twitter.com/MPUuWUIFHh

— Rebranded (@ApartheidClyde_) December 19, 2022

Some pics of #HarryStyles from #Gucci ‘HA HA HA’ campaign doing the rounds.

There’s a common theme here, a toddler's mattress, a $750 t-shirt with a child’s teddy bear.

Gucci is owned by The Kering Group, parent company of #Balenciaga Ho hum . .🤫 pic.twitter.com/5CiQsvvBfx

— Mr Pål Christiansen (@TheNorskaPaul) December 20, 2022

https://twitter.com/SabrinaNova1/status/1605212572990439424

Does #Gucci and #Balenciaga share the same parent company? Not sure why a child’s mattress or a teddy bear even need to make an appearance. Why can’t these campaigns just stay away from associating with kids? pic.twitter.com/nze4AwzT7l

— Sadaf Jadran (@SadafJadran) December 18, 2022

It was bad enough that toddler mattress was there, leaning against the wall. It’s even more disappointing to see Harry walk in carrying that toddler mattress. What disgustingly poor taste #BalenciagaGate and their associated labels like #gucci are!!

— Jenny Leonie (@Jenlerose) December 19, 2022