Sydney Sweeney Returns to American Eagle Despite Past Campaign Backlash

Sweeney recently took to Instagram to showcase the brand’s latest pieces, captioning the images with the declaration, “It is low rise season.” The campaign features the actress in various styles, including wide-leg, high-rise denim and utility-focused cargo jeans, leaning into a relaxed 1990s streetwear aesthetic. This collaboration follows a string of appearances for the company this year, including a Fourth of July-themed shoot and the “Syd for Short” campaign, which played on the actress’s name to promote summer apparel.

The partnership remains notable for its history of controversy. In July 2025, the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad campaign sparked a heated online debate, with critics alleging the wordplay between “genes” and “jeans” carried unfortunate undertones. While American Eagle issued a statement clarifying the campaign was strictly about apparel, the discourse trended widely. Sweeney later told GQ that the backlash caught her off guard, noting that she was largely disconnected from the internet while filming the final season of “Euphoria.” Despite the initial friction, the commercial results proved significant, with the company reporting increased website traffic and rapid sell-throughs of featured products.