Sydney Sweeney has returned to social media after her American Eagle denim campaign sparked widespread backlash.
Taking to her Instagram Story on Friday, August 1, Sweeney, 27, shared a photo of a bouquet of pale pink roses. She also added a white heart sticker to her upload.
The Euphoria star was named the new face of AE in July, kicking off the brand’s fall 2025 campaign with a nod to its denim heritage.
“This fall season, American Eagle is celebrating what makes our brand iconic — trendsetting denim that leads, never follows,” Jennifer Foyle, the president and executive creative director of AE and Aerie, added in the press release. “Innovative fits and endless versatility reflect how our community wears their denim: mixed, matched, layered and lived in. With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude and a little mischief.”
Sweeney also released a statement about working with AE.
“Their commitment to creating pieces that make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is something that resonates with me,” Sweeney said in a statement. “It’s rare to find a brand that grows with you, the way American Eagle has for generations. They have literally been there with me through every version of myself.”
The campaign, called “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” featured a visual film that many social media users condemned as overtly sexual and thought pandered to the male gaze.
“My body’s composition is determined by my genes,” Sweeney said as a camera panned the length of her body. “Hey, eyes up here.”
A voiceover announcer added, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
Other critics, meanwhile, claimed that the campaign promoted eugenics, which is a discredited belief associated with white supremacy regarding the improvement of human genetics.
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” Sweeney said in another ad campaign, making a pun out of the words “jeans” and “genes.”
The actress has not yet publicly addressed the backlash to the marketing campaign. AE, for its part, released a statement about its intentions on Friday.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” a message shared via Instagram read. “Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
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