Introducing the Balenciaga Bel Air Bag

This kind of campaign shows you can be edgy without having to be completely tone-deaf to the point of literal insanity. But while I appreciate how Balenciaga are trying to (still) come back from their brand gaffes by featuring a campaign with older and sophisticated women as models, this is only the start of their brand re-building journey. Not even A-list actresses with very good reputations like Michelle or Naomi can help them within in a single campaign.

I used to be a pretty loyal baseball cap customer to the tune of one new cap per year until the scandal—now I’ve switched over to Celine caps. Personally for me, opening with Michelle Yeoh and Naomi Watts does patch the brand up a little bit, but only to the point where I’ll look at a new bag design and consider the brand from a theoretical design pov, not to the point of seriously considering a purchase. Unfortunately for Balenciaga, many in the fashion community still consider them an “untouchable” brand. Their disgust fans out and makes it hard for even slightly sympathetic customers like me to get on board since I know I’ll be judged harshly for endorsing a company that once itself seemed to be endorsing pedophilia.

The hate for Balenciaga has lasted a much longer time compared to other fashion house gaffes and rings different than other gaffes where racism, cultural appropriation, or lack of inclusion was the problem. Where the violence done is through lack of or in abstract imagery, it can can be “covered up” by omission (e.g. for once not using indigenous patterns for summer clothing designs) or inclusion (e.g. casting x% more black/Asian/plus size/etc models in a campaign the following season).

But while it takes me a bit of mental digging to remember how disgusting the design of the D&G tribal earrings were, Balenciaga’s campaign featuring kids was VERY visually memorable and will take a long time to fade away from the consciousness of most fashion-aware who are mentally primed to recall images. With so many other brands that promise edgy designs and branding without the stain of “omg pedos!” in their campaign history, it’s near impossible to justify spending $5000 on Balenciaga. Regardless of her politics and beliefs around diversity and inclusion, Balenciaga’s female customer will remember the visual violence done on children in those campaigns for a long time. (if you look on r/Balenciaga on Reddit, most of the posts are menswear and by men.)

IMO Kering should just cut the brand and subsume it into a multi-brand retailer that mixes street and contemporary wear—like a Brown’s, Opening Ceremony, Goodhood, or BEAMS. Can’t imagine their Balenciaga stores are making that much money these days—probably subsidized completely by the performance of YSL and Gucci.

I can’t believe everyone is still going on, and on (and on) about Balenciaga’s marketing controversy, and whether they will buy or wear or are too disgusted to be seen in Bal, etc etc yawn! And no one seems to be acknowledging that these bags, the Rodeo and the Bel Air, are dupes of the Kelly and Birkin. It’s like the designers thought “hmmm, how do we get back in fashion’s good books? Let’s make smooshy, worn-in versions of the two most sought-after bags of all time!” And in that vein, I kinda appreciate these bags…not overly precious and $$$$$ as the bags they are riffing off, and actually practical to use.

I think it’s a nice bag. Unfortunately, it’s hard not to compare it to the Birkin (even though Hermès didn’t invent that type of closures). But it remains a nice alternative with a more modern flare.