United Colors of Benetton store (Frame Magazine)

Italian fashion brand United Colors of Benetton is under fire for posting pedophilic photos as part of its clothing campaign. It demonstrates children as models in underwear.

People took to social media to criticize and call out the fashion brand days after American actress Busy Philipps called them out on Instagram for "sexualizing" children.

Philipps wrote: "I don't know where the disconnect is with people and they're like, 'well, if you see that [sexualization], then that's your problem'. You're having children pose like adults whilst wearing underwear? Maybe I'm just hyper-aware of that now. Obviously, my kids are the same age and it freaks me out."

Benetton has since then deleted the photos from social media.

wtf is that disgustin bullshit, united colors of benetton new "fashion designs" (@benetton) pic.twitter.com/fdrumBFIWG
— DDR4.0 (@0Ddr4) December 28, 2022

One of the promo photos by Benetton

This comes after Balenciaga came under fire as well last month for showing children, as part of its clothing campaign too, wearing bondage gear.

Social media users rushed to draw a parallel between the fashion brands, highlighting how the two have jeopardized children and put them on display for profit, calling for the protection of minors.

Other users urged the brand to reconsider its options, saying there were other ways of selling clothes that did not involve the sexualization of children.

"Now, the clothing brand Benetton is sexualizing kids for profit. It’s never necessary or appropriate to use children to model underwear," one netizen wrote. "Let’s put an end to pedo culture & child exploitation."

Now, the clothing brand Benetton is sexualizing kids for profit. It’s never necessary or appropriate to use children to model underwear. Photos of children in their underwear should never be shared let alone used for profit. Let’s put an end to pedo culture & child exploitation. pic.twitter.com/R9eJxYodRl
— Landon Starbuck (@LandonStarbuck) December 27, 2022

This is not the first controversy of the sort that the Italian brand has been involved in, having done this sort of stunt back in 2018 and 1991, where they used nude children - and even babies - to promote their fashion items, stark evidence of the exploitive, pedophilic nature of the brand.

A 2018 ad that the United Colors of Benetton ran

A 1991 ad that the United Colors of Benetton ran

The children were posing in a highly questionable, adult-like manner - they were instructed to pose in a way that might be seen in professional swimwear or lingerie modeling -, drawing the ire of thousands online, as children are not meant for such a "business".

When you look at the first picture. You think ok nothing wrong fully covered. But then you slide across onto the second picture. It looks like some predatory peadophile has groomed the child to lift his clothes up so the Pedo can have a look. @benetton what you doing? pic.twitter.com/Xp853mKKMs
— THE D.A.G (@d4ds4g4inst) December 24, 2022

Benetton did not even attempt to cover up for the lude, almost pornographic way the children were exploited and forced to pose in the controversial ad campaign.

One question remains regarding this stunt or ad campaign: why would children's underwear or swimwear need to be promoted, to begin with? Especially when it is at the expense of other children. Additionally, why has cancel culture not come for the company that used naked children and babies in its ad campaigns?