American Eagle is standing firm behind Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney after she faced social media backlash for her role in the brand’s new “Great Jeans” denim campaign — a cheeky pun that some critics called tone-deaf and even “Nazi propaganda.”
In a statement released Friday and obtained by Page Six Style, the fashion retailer shut down the controversy, insisting that the campaign’s slogan — “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” — was always about denim, not DNA.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” the company said, adding, “Her jeans. Her story.”
The campaign, which featured the blond-haired, blue-eyed actress rolling around in head-to-toe denim while touting, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” The video ended with a voice over, saying, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans… now you can too,” and quickly went viral — not just for its fashion-forward aesthetic but also for the firestorm of criticism it sparked online.
Social Media Accusations: “Pseudoscientific” and “Racially Charged”
Some social media users and commentators accused the ad of promoting a problematic message about genetic superiority, citing Sweeney’s reference to her “great genes” in combination with her physical features.
“This just echoes pseudoscientific language of racial superiority,” one TikTok user claimed. “When those traits are consistently uplifted as genetic excellence, we know where this leads.”
Others went as far as to call the campaign “Nazi propaganda,” pointing to historical weaponization of physical traits like blond hair and blue eyes in the context of racial hierarchy.
American Eagle Responds with Inclusivity
In response, American Eagle doubled down on the campaign while emphasizing its commitment to inclusivity. Following the backlash, the brand released additional images from the “Great Jeans” campaign featuring a black model in similar denim styles, captioned “Denim on denim on denim… on denim. AE has great jeans👖✨.”
Still, the added diversity did little to quell the condemnation for some online critics, who remained skeptical of the campaign’s timing and messaging.
Celebs Weigh In: Lizzo and Doja Cat Mock the Ad
The internet pile-on didn’t stop with anonymous commenters. Celebrities like Lizzo and Doja Cat joined the conversation with satirical takes of their own. Lizzo shared a meme with her likeness replacing Sweeney’s captioned, “My jeans are black,” while Doja Cat posted a parody video mocking the ad with an exaggerated Southern drawl.
Despite the blowback, American Eagle’s stock reportedly jumped 18% following the launch of the campaign. Although shares have since dipped slightly, the brand is still performing better than it was prior to the ad’s release.
The Missing Message: A Charitable Collaboration
Overlooked by much of the controversy is that Sweeney’s collaboration with American Eagle has a philanthropic angle. The brand confirmed that 100% of the purchase prices from the denim line will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering 24/7 mental health support.
As of now, Sydney Sweeney has not addressed the criticism publicly. But American Eagle is digging their heels in, saying the campaign was meant to be fun, inclusive, and fashion-focused — not a commentary on genetics or identity.
“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” the company concluded. “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
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American Eagle, don’t let the idiots try to get you down.