American Eagle Taps Brand’s New Face After Sweeney Backlash

American Eagle has chosen a new face for its holiday campaign after facing backlash over a summer advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney. The brand has tapped Martha Stewart for its Give Great Jeans campaign, celebrating the festive season in a playful denim-themed set.

In her campaign photos, Stewart, 84, wore matching denim jeans and jackets while wrapping gifts entirely in denim instead of traditional wrapping paper. In a video for the campaign, she joked, “This holiday season, we’re settling for nothing less than a perfect fit,” as she cut pieces of denim to wrap presents. In another shot, she posed in a kitchen surrounded by denim-covered appliances and towels, adding a navy cardigan over her denim outfit.

Speaking to People magazine, Stewart shared why she enjoyed working with the brand. “I have spent decades helping people create beautiful holidays — from setting the perfect table to trimming the tree to finding that last-minute gift that saves the day. So when American Eagle approached me about being part of their holiday gifting campaign, I was immediately intrigued,” she said.

She also praised American Eagle’s jeans for being versatile and comfortable. “They are flattering, sleek and soft enough to make wrapping gifts or hosting a dinner in them effortless.”

Martha Stewart is the new face of American Eagle following Sydney Sweeney controversy. pic.twitter.com/G3duq9LgWC

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 28, 2025

The collaboration comes months after American Eagle faced criticism over a summer ad with Sydney Sweeney. That campaign, using the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” was criticized for its play on the word “genes,” which some compared to eugenics language historically associated with selective breeding. Critics also noted a lack of diversity in the ad. The controversy even attracted attention from former President Donald Trump, who called the campaign the “hottest ad ever.”

Sweeney recently spoke about the backlash in an interview with GQ. “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,” she said. She added that the attention from Trump and Vice President JD Vance felt “surreal,” but that she wasn’t closely following the online reaction while filming Euphoria. “I kind of just put my phone away. I was filming every day… I didn’t really see a lot of it,” Sweeney explained.

Martha Stewart’s involvement signals a shift in American Eagle’s holiday messaging, focusing on playful and festive visuals while distancing itself from the previous controversy.

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