Heidi Klum and her 18-year-old daughter, Leni, are facing criticism after sharing photos and behind-the-scenes looks at a recent photo shoot they collaborated on for a lingerie brand. The mother-daughter duo were excited to share their joint project, but people on social media had a different reaction.
Heidi and Leni collaborated on a modeling gig for a lingerie company.
The mother-daughter pair posed together for the Italian brand Intimissimi, and when the brand teased that a new collaboration was on the way, it received a lot of praise from its fans.
But when the lingerie brand released the first look at the photo shoot with a video featuring Heidi and Leni, the mood changed.
On October 10, Heidi and Leni showed off their modeling chops in a playful video.
“A story of self-confidence, joy of life and love between a mother and a daughter,” the caption read on a behind-the-scenes video of Heid and Leni working together.
“Together @heidiklum and @leniklum celebrate The Art of Italian Lingerie,” the brand announced.
The video is cute and playful with Heidi and Leni rocking lingerie, smiling, laughing, and looking like they were having the best time while working.
The brand also shared several photos of the campaign.
“Like mother and daughter. Every woman has a special place in her heart for her favourite lingerie,” the brand wrote in a caption featuring the two women smiling directly at the camera.
“The idea behind the campaign is to show them how they truly are,” another caption read. “The two represent the strong bond between mother and daughter.”
It’s no different than any typical lingerie video or ad. But people gave it raised eyebrows.
Some people had really strong feelings about the collaboration and shared their feelings in the comment section of several of the brand’s social photos.
“This is just in BAD TASTE!!” one person wrote. “Really CREEPY!”
“I would be so dang embarrassed if Heidi Klum was my mother,” another person wrote. “Despicable.”
“I like to think I’m progressive in these things but mom and daughter in lingerie in the same video shoot is just a bit ick,” someone else added.
“Sexualizing your child the moment they turn legal is weird,” wrote another Instagram user.
“I also think this is so disgusting and appalling,” another obviously angry person wrote. “A mother using her daughter for her self promotion. It’s just awful and tasteless.”
Other people didn’t have reactions as strong but still felt some sort of way.
“The worst case of nepotism I’ve seen in years,” one Instagram user wrote.
And the comments kept coming.
“Sorry but this is weird.”
“I wouldn’t model sexy lingerie with my mom.”
“Cringe af.”
“That’s so weird.”
There were others who commented in support of the brand’s campaign and the mother-daughter duo.
“Okay people need to chill dafuq out,” one person wrote. “The lingerie is not risque and looks like a modern day bathing suit.”
“I see nothing wrong with this, nothing disturbing,” someone else wrote.
Another person shared, “Beautiful & very classy…more skin is shown in bathing suits…her daughter is 18…legal…they’re both GORGEOUS.”
Several other commenters wrote that they love the collaboration combo and suggested the brand expand the idea with other mom and daughter campaigns.
So far, neither Heidi nor Leni has addressed the backlash, and the brand hasn’t yet either.