NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Australian tradies blasted for video confronting Balenciaga employees

news.com.au
2 Dec, 2022 05:57 AM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The pair were shown confronting the store workers in the video. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh

The pair were shown confronting the store workers in the video. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh

Two tradies have been slammed for their decision to storm into a Balenciaga store and confront the employees.

The tradesmen filmed themselves calling out the staff for working for the fashion brand in light of its recent ad campaign scandal.

The pair then uploaded the footage of the workers to social media, saying they were in a for a “one way trip to hell” if they didn’t quit their jobs.

Balenciaga recently came under fire over a controversial advertising campaign that featured children holding plush toys wearing bondage-style attire.

The luxury fashion label is under fire over "creepy" images of children. Photo / Supplied
The luxury fashion label is under fire over "creepy" images of children. Photo / Supplied
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Some social media users also claim the same advertising shoot features a court document relating to child pornography. Photo / Twitter/ Balenciaga
Some social media users also claim the same advertising shoot features a court document relating to child pornography. Photo / Twitter/ Balenciaga

In another ad, eagle-eyed social media users spotted a document tucked under a Balenciaga handbag, which appeared to reference a court case about child pornography.

Balenciaga has since issued a series of grovelling apologies, pulling down the two ad campaigns and filing a US$25 million ($39m) lawsuit against the production company and set designer allegedly responsible.

The brand has issued a series of apologies over the campaign. Photo / Balenciaga
The brand has issued a series of apologies over the campaign. Photo / Balenciaga

As the outrage at the luxury brand continues, two Aussie tradies, Lachlan Kavanagh and Dale Farmilo, decided to hit back at the company.

“How do you guys feel about working for a company that openly supports child abuse? How do you feel about that?” Kavanagh asks two employees in the video, as he walks up to the store counter.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The employees appear to be caught off-guard by the question, with one staff member saying he had no comment before continuing on with his work.

“No views on child abuse whatsoever?” the tradie asks.

“If that was my kid, f**k that would be terrible bro.”

Farmilo then pipes up from behind the camera, claiming the situation was “pretty self-evident”.

“I know if I was working for a company that openly endorsed this stuff, I would be looking for a new job, guys.”

The pair were shown confronting the store workers in the video. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh
The pair were shown confronting the store workers in the video. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh

The pair then turned their attention to the customers in the store, with Farmilo asking one man if he knew Balenciaga was “involved in exploiting children”.

“Not before,” the man replies.

The word “LIAR” then flashes up on the video, before the tradie responds: “Well they are. I wouldn’t be shopping here.”

The footage then cuts to a confrontation with another customer, who is filming the two men.

“You think it’s good yeah? You think it’s good?” Farmilo asks the man.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“It’s good that this company supports child abuse?”

Kavanagh then chimes in, branding all the customers “f***ing cowards”.

“Look at them. All walking away when we are talking to them, can’t answer questions. You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” he says.

Farmilo said it was “despicable stuff”, before the customer turns to him and says, “This is very Christian of you.”

“Well it is, yeah. Exposing the works of darkness is Christian mate. We judge righteous, that’s it, we judge righteous,” he says.

“I’m Catholic and I love it,” the customer responds.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“You love it? You are not Catholic, you do not support the words of God. You need to repent and turn back to him,” Farmilo replies.

The tradies filmed the customers, calling them "liars" and "cowards". Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh
The tradies filmed the customers, calling them "liars" and "cowards". Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh

The pair then uploaded the footage to their social media pages, with the caption: “Had to let @balenciaga employees know, if they don’t quit there [sic] jobs and stop supporting child abuse they’ll be on a one-way trip to hell. We can’t let child abuse become normalised.”

While the footage did receive some support from followers, who encouraged their “awesome work”, others questioned why they would target retail workers.

“Wow, so edgy … you know this is harassment right?” one person commented.

“These are retail workers … just people trying to get by – what do you expect them to do, quit? Will you pay their bills?”

Others said it was “disgusting behaviour” and “unnecessary”, with another added: “This is embarrassing, take this down.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Musician and daughter of Olivia Newton-John, Chloe Lattanzi, warned the men they wouldn’t “change minds through aggression and religious down-putting”.

The footage was also shared to TikTok, where the majority of commenters questioned why the men were attacking the workers.

“Bro your [sic] picking on some worker. Chill man. They have to make a living. Kick back boys. Go after the king, not the pawn,” one person said.

“OMG people having a go at retail workers are the biggest s**theads. They are on minimum wage and probably got bills to pay – it’s not them,” another said.

One added: “Aussie bogans acting the way Aussie bogans do.”

The rest of Kavanagh’s Instagram page is filled with footage of him talking on the podcast thefive8take.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Some of the videos include him complaining about “fat, chubby children”, being force-fed “a diet of woke nonsense” from Netflix and how companies like Virgin are trying to “make men into p**sies so they can control us easier” by allowing male staff members to wear skirts.

The tradie has shared a number of clips of him talking on a podcast. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh
The tradie has shared a number of clips of him talking on a podcast. Photo / Lachlan Kavanagh

Farmilo’s Instagram page includes a number of anti-vaccination posts, including footage from anti-vax and anti-lockdown rallies.

He also shared an image branding face masks a “visual prop to drive fear and anxiety”.

After seeing some of the not-so-supportive comments he received on the Balenciaga video, Farmilo decided to make a video hitting back at those who called him out.

“I have had a lot of people come on to my profile asking why I would go into Balenciaga and why I would confront the staff members,” he said.

“This is such a r****ded question. It answers itself. If you don’t know why I would go into Balenciaga and question the staff on why they are working there and if they are aware of what’s been going on, well then that’s on you.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“You’re the r****d, not me.”

Farmilo made a video lashing out at the people who didn’t agree with him confronting Balenciaga workers. Photo / Instagram @fight_4whats_right
Farmilo made a video lashing out at the people who didn’t agree with him confronting Balenciaga workers. Photo / Instagram @fight_4whats_right

He then claimed all the people who he was copping backlash from were “anonymous” posters, who “didn’t even have profiles”.

“They can’t put a face to their opinion because they are cowards and all they do is share memes,” the tradie said.

“Actually being in a real situation, do you think these people are actually going to put their face to what they have to say? No they won’t. Because they are cowards, they are weak, they are p**sies.”

Farmilo then decided to give the commenters “some advice”.

“Get your hand off you’re [sic] d**k, get out of your mum’s basement, get yourself a job, get yourself a licence, meet yourself a group of mates that have similar or the same values and go out and do something in real life, create something,” he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“Stand up for what you believe in, don’t just sit behind your computer being critical of other people.”

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Decade wait ends: Excavation begins at Tuam mass burial site

07 Jul 09:45 PM
World

Houthis claim Red Sea ship sinking, exchange missiles with Israel

07 Jul 09:19 PM
World

Former Russian minister found dead in car, suicide suspected

07 Jul 09:11 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Decade wait ends: Excavation begins at Tuam mass burial site

Decade wait ends: Excavation begins at Tuam mass burial site

07 Jul 09:45 PM

The excavation will involve experts from Colombia, Spain, and the US.

Houthis claim Red Sea ship sinking, exchange missiles with Israel

Houthis claim Red Sea ship sinking, exchange missiles with Israel

07 Jul 09:19 PM
Former Russian minister found dead in car, suicide suspected

Former Russian minister found dead in car, suicide suspected

07 Jul 09:11 PM
Mushroom cook Erin Patterson accused of tampering with prison food

Mushroom cook Erin Patterson accused of tampering with prison food

07 Jul 09:03 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP