Few things go viral as quickly as a controversy that blends fashion, image and politics. Sydney Sweeney experienced it first-hand with her campaign for American Eagle, a project that, as she herself put it, “got completely blown out of proportion”.
In July, the American brand unveiled a new campaign fronted by the Euphoria actress under the slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” A simple play on words between jeans and genes was enough to turn a denim spot into a national debate.
From a denim ad to a political topic
The piece featured Sweeney in a casual tone, speaking about heritage and style while wearing the brand’s new models. But social media turned it into something else. Many users interpreted the double meaning as a nod to “genetic superiority” — an interpretation the brand firmly denied.
The situation escalated to the unexpected: Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, the U.S. Vice President, publicly commented on the advert. Trump even called it “the hottest ad ever”.
“It was surreal”
Speaking with GQ, Sweeney admitted the reaction came as a surprise. “I did a jeans ad. The reaction was definitely a surprise. But I love jeans; I wear them every day of my life,” she explained.
She also revealed she barely followed the media frenzy: “I was filming Euphoria, working sixteen-hour days. I don’t take my phone on set — I work and then go to sleep. I didn’t really see much of it.”
Between the noise and the numbers
While social media debated the meaning of the slogan, American Eagle saw its shares rise by over 30 per cent. Despite rumours of declining sales and footfall, Sweeney clarified that those headlines “weren’t true”. “I knew what the ad was about — good jeans. It didn’t affect me one way or the other.”
What began as a simple denim collaboration ended up reflecting how easily digital conversation can overwhelm any campaign. For Sweeney, it was a reminder of how quickly the narrative can slip out of one’s hands. “When there’s something I actually want to speak about, people will hear,” she concluded.
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