American Eagle Sparks Backlash For Touting Sydney Sweeney's 'great Jeans'

American Eagle’s “great jeans” advertizing run pinch character Sydney Sweeney is astatine nan halfway of nan latest governmental firestorm online, drafting accusations of group undertones successful its messaging.

Sweeney, who roseate to fame for her starring roles successful HBO’s “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” is nan prima of nan clothing retailer’s latest denim-focused autumn campaign, pinch nan tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has awesome jeans.”

It’s a play connected words for Sweeney’s “great genes.” Indeed, successful 1 clip, which accrued much than 1.1 cardinal views connected American Eagle’s Instagram page, Sweeney stands earlier a poster of herself titled, “Sydney Sweeney has awesome genes,” earlier nan connection “genes” is crossed retired and replaced pinch “jeans.”

The motion toward her "genes" is besides made successful another video, which further incited backlash from immoderate users connected platforms for illustration TikTok, X and Threads who accused American Eagle of promoting eugenics, “white supremacy” and “Nazi propaganda.”

“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits for illustration hairsbreadth color, characteristic and moreover oculus color,” Sweeney says, earlier nan camera pans up to her bluish eyes. “My jeans are blue.”

A typical for Sweeney declined to comment. American Eagle did not respond to a petition for comment.

As of Monday morning, neither Sweeney nor American Eagle had addressed nan backlash publicly.

Sydney Sweeney successful an American Eagle Outfitters ad.American Eagle Outfitters

The run is for American Eagle’s caller autumn collection, featuring a limited-edition denim overgarment and “The Sydney Jean,” created successful collaboration pinch Sweeney. The jeans show a butterfly motif representing home unit awareness, and each gross from its income will beryllium donated to nan Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free 24/7 intelligence wellness support, according to nan campaign.

“Sweeney’s woman adjacent doorway charm and main characteristic power — paired pinch her expertise to not return herself excessively earnestly — is nan hallmark of this bold, playful campaign,” American Eagle wrote connected its website past week.

The sermon has besides drawn retaliatory backlash from others online who opportunity nan criticisms of nan advertisement run are an exaggeration. Some are embracing nan governmental undertone of nan advertisement by hailing it arsenic an extremity to overly “woke” trading campaigns.

It’s nan latest contention to item a increasing taste rift complete perceived “wokeness” arsenic conservative-leaning civilization swings backmost into nan mainstream. In caller years, those connected nan online correct person often praised media that unapologetically upholds accepted achromatic American beauty standards, particularly erstwhile it doesn’t travel pinch immoderate effort to beryllium inclusive.

These shifting ideals person been marked by an upswing successful trends for illustration nan "old money" aesthetic, nan end of nan assemblage positivity movement and nan rise of nan tradwife lifestyle successful celebrated culture.

When American Eagle announced nan collaboration pinch Sweeney past week, nan company’s stock concisely soared.

But aft sharing much than a twelve societal media posts featuring Sweeney complete nan past fewer days, nan brand’s latest station connected Sunday starred a different model.

“Denim connected denim connected denim… connected denim,” American Eagle wrote successful nan Instagram caption. “AE has awesome jeans👖✨”

Many commenters, who noticed that this exemplary appeared to beryllium nonwhite, were speedy to telephone nan caller station “damage control.”