American Eagle defends Sydney Sweeney campaign amid eugenics accusations
American Eagle breaks silence on Sydney Sweeney's viral jeans ad after criticism over claims of racial messaging.
Pop Culture & Art |
August 02, 2025
American Eagle has addressed the controversy surrounding its fall 2025 campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, following widespread online backlash and confusion over the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
The viral campaign sparked debate after a clip showed Sweeney saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.” The wordplay between “genes” and “jeans” ignited accusations online that the ad promoted a subtle racial message or even eugenics. Critics, particularly on TikTok, claimed the combination of Sweeney’s blue eyes, blonde hair, and scripted dialogue made the campaign a “racialized dog whistle.”
In response, American Eagle issued a statement on Instagram: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.”
While some condemned the campaign as tone-deaf, others defended Sweeney and the brand, dismissing the outrage as overblown. “Y’all are mad at Sydney Sweeney because she’s white, she’s blonde, she’s blue-eyed and she looks good,” said one TikTok user, capturing the divide in public sentiment.
Sweeney has not commented publicly. She continues to dominate Hollywood with roles in Euphoria, The White Lotus, and the upcoming Christy, while also expanding her business ventures. Recent endorsements include Armani Beauty, Miu Miu, and a reported lingerie brand backed by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.
Baskin-Robbins, one of her brand partners, has since disabled comments on TikTok videos featuring the actress amid the controversy.
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