United States. Why is the American Eagle jeans campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney causing controversy?

The ad has been the talk of the town for several days. Accused of promoting eugenics and white supremacist ideals, or on the contrary praised for its audacity and reaffirmation of traditional values, an advertising campaign by the American Eagle jeans brand, whose face is actress Sydney Sweeney, has sparked a heated online controversy.

Great jeans or genes?

Some social media users were outraged, claiming that the pun in the slogan "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" ("Sydney Sweeney has great genes"), coupled with the actress's blue eyes and blonde hair, had racist connotations.

Others, however, who are outspoken opponents of what they denounce as "woke" ideology, praise the campaign launched last Wednesday, saying it lacks political correctness. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas posted a photo of Sweeney on X and wrote: "Wow. Now the crazy left is attacking beautiful women. I'm sure this will do well in the polls."

Neither American Eagle nor the 27-year-old Emmy-nominated actress, best known for her roles in The White Lotus and Euphoria , have publicly responded to the controversy.

“Strengthening its position with Generation Z”

"Sweeney's girl-next-door charm and energy, coupled with her ability to not take herself too seriously, are the hallmarks of this bold and playful campaign," the company said in a statement last week.

According to her, her collaboration with Sweeney was aimed at "strengthening its position as the No. 1 denim brand among Generation Z." American Eagle's stock rebounded nearly 20% in one week, after losing 40% since late January. Several media outlets report that this ad campaign caused American Eagle Outfitters' stock to jump 10% in two days.

"Genes are passed down from parents to their children and often determine characteristics such as hair color, personality, and even eye color. My genes are blue," says Sweeney, wearing a denim ensemble, in one of the spots.

“Values of another era”

This controversy illustrates a divide in the ongoing culture war in the United States: conservatives claiming to be "anti-woke" see it as a celebration of traditional beauty, while progressives denounce exclusionary and fatphobic standards.

For Rachel Tashjian, fashion critic for the Washington Post , regardless of whether the ad has racial overtones or an intentional message beyond selling jeans, it "fits into a wave of images of influencers, pop stars and musicians who seem committed to the values of another era."

"For the past five or six years, fashion and pop culture have seemed very interested, even dedicated, to body positivity. Now we're bombarded with images of thinness, whiteness, and ostentatious wealth," she noted in an interview published Monday.