American Eagle CEO Jay Schottenstein has launched a vigorous defense of his company’s high-profile Sydney Sweeney campaign, insisting the brand “can’t run from fear” as it stands behind a denim ad that set off a turbulent debate about fashion, genetics, and identity politics over the past three months.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Schottenstein explained how the company weathered the backlash that erupted following the July launch of American Eagle’s fall denim campaign starring Sweeney, a Hollywood actress known for her leading roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus. What seemed like playful wordplay—“Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”—quickly turned contentious, with critics accusing the ad of covertly promoting eugenics and racist beauty standards owing to references to heredity and Sweeney’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed appearance.
Rather than responding with public statements or pulling the ads, Schottenstein instructed executives and employees to “remain calm and not comment.” The company monitored social media reaction and surveyed its customers, seeing nearly a million new customers between July and September.
Although comparable store sales fell 1% in the second quarter for 2025, ended Aug. 2, its earnings beat Wall Street expectations overall, and the company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, suggesting the full impact of the Sweeney ads will be visible in the third quarter.
