Additional Coverage:
- Sydney Sweeney fights back against attacks over American Eagle jeans campaign in powerful response (foxnews.com)
Sydney Sweeney Breaks Silence on “Great Jeans” Controversy, Addresses Public Scrutiny
Actress Sydney Sweeney is finally speaking out, directly addressing the widespread controversy surrounding her American Eagle campaign, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The “Anyone but You” star expressed her surprise at the intense public reaction, which has sparked months of debate and criticism.
Sweeney told People that the backlash was entirely unexpected. “I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” she stated.
“I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign.
Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”
The campaign’s tagline, a playful pun on “jeans” and “genes,” ignited immediate online controversy. Critics argued that the wordplay carried racially charged implications, while others drew comparisons to Brooke Shields’ provocative 1980 Calvin Klein denim advertisements.
Initially, Sweeney, known for her private nature, chose to remain silent. However, she explained that the escalating narrative around her intentions compelled her to clarify her stance.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,” Sweeney, who describes herself as someone who “leads with kindness,” elaborated.
She continued, “In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”
The controversy stemmed from a segment of the commercial where Sweeney discussed genes being “passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” before adding, “My jeans are blue,” as the camera focused on her eyes. Upon its release on July 23, the campaign faced immediate criticism, with some social media users suggesting it evoked themes of “eugenics” and “white supremacy.”
American Eagle responded to the backlash on August 1, releasing a statement on its social media channels: “’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.
Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Sweeney first briefly touched on the debate in her GQ “Men of the Year” cover story last month. When asked if the backlash caught her off guard, she responded simply, “I did a jean ad.
I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans.
I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.”