The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) in the United Kingdom has banned an ad by the Louis Vuitton fashion house because it is misleading.
There are seamstresses in the ads which gives the impression the Louis Vuitton products are handmade. But this is not the case.
The fashion house tried to justify the ad by saying it was simply paying tribute to the work its artisans do every day.
The ASA does not agree with this justification. The agency maintains the ad violates rules to ensure the veracity of facts. This is why it banned the publication of this ad.
The ASA released a statement about its position: "Because we had not seen evidence that demonstrated the extent to which Louis Vuitton products were made by hand, we concluded that the ads were misleading."
The luxury house admitted that sewing machines were used in the process of creating its products. But it adds that the process was not fully automated since there are more than 100 steps that go into creating a new piece.
This was not enough for the ASA to approve the ad.