Who is Lotta Volkova? Balenciaga stylist’s past under scanner as fashion house reels from BDSM shoot scandal
PARIS, FRANCE: French luxury brand Balenciaga is under fire for a controversial advertising campaign that showed children holding teddy bears in BDSM-style harnesses. After their apology, their main stylist, Lotta Volkova's past is being scrutinized and people are questioning the brand's choice of working with her in the first place. While the photographer, Gabriele Galimberti, has claimed that he had no creative control of the project, the plush teddy bears were seen in fishnet tops, collars with locks, and studded harnesses.
Balenciaga apologized for the disturbing image used in the controversial campaign and wrote on their Instagram story, "We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms." However, people were more curious to know more about the person who gave the green light to this photoshoot. Social media users have dug up Volkova's past, of her sharing disturbing images on Instagram and other shocking allegations. One unproven allegation claims that she was in a relationship with a pedophile and several now-deleted pictures from Instagram show disturbing references like praying to the devil, a child holding a human skull, bloodied rooms, and more.
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One user claimed, "A thread on WHO is REALLY behind the #Balenciaga ads: The Devil In Disguise: Lotta Volkova 1. She has been one of the main stylist in Balenciaga since 2014. 2.She has a relationship with an accused pedophile. 3. We can't only boycott #Balenciaga but also the people behind it." Another account shared, "T/W: These are shocking posts from Balenciagas stylist Lotta Volkova who has a sick obsession with torture, satan & child Mutilation These pics are beyond shocking but there are far worse on her Instagram which I won’t share Notice a common theme with the brand now?"
A thread on WHO is REALLY behind the #Balenciaga ads:
— curioslight (@curioslight) November 27, 2022
The Devil In Disguise: Lotta Volkova
1. She has been one of the main stylist in Balenciaga since 2014.
2.She has a relationship with an accused pedophile.
3. We can't only boycott #Balenciaga but also the people behind it. pic.twitter.com/RjDYU283wj
T/W: These are shocking posts from Balenciagas stylist Lotta Volkova who has a sick obsession with torture, satan & child Mutilation
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) November 27, 2022
These pics are beyond shocking but there are far worse on her Instagram which I won’t share
Notice a common theme with the brand now? #balenciaga pic.twitter.com/Wet0kKf5p8
Here is Lotta Volkova a top designer for Balenciaga And Adidas pic.twitter.com/zBnuJ6MdUh
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) November 28, 2022
Who is Lotta Volkova?
Lotta Volkova was born in Novosibirsk, Russia when the country was still part of the Soviet Union and a key element of her designs are motifs from that era. She was exposed to foreign cultures from a young age as her father, who was a naval captain, would get her presents from around the globe. Volvoka left her hometown at the age of 17 to study art and design at London’s Central Saint Martins.
In 2004, she created her own post-punk-inspired label called Lotta Skeletri, which kickstarted her career. After working with the Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, Volvoka shifted her focus to styling in 2007. Advancing quickly in her career, she now plays an integral part in developing the creative vision behind Vetements, Gosha Rubchinskiy, Sies Marjan, and Balenciaga.