The hidden debt of fashion’s understated aesthetic
American Eagle flaunts “great genes,” Ralph Lauren achieves with diversity
August reminded us yet again that fashion still hasn’t learned its lesson.
Leading denim retailer American Eagle (AE) rolled out an ad with Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney, ending on the cheeky line: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
Intended as playful, the “genes” wordplay fell flat. Instead, it sparked outrage, with critics accusing the brand of tone-deafness for casting a white actress as the embodiment of “great genes” and raising questions about fashion’s preference for whiteness.
AE has since released a statement declaring, “The campaign 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.”
Yet, the statement reads more like damage control than genuine accountability.
Aside from the campaign’s use of eugenics-leaning language, AE’s choice of its ambassador is questionable.
In August 2023, the blonde actress was caught hosting a MAGA-themed birthday party for her mother. When leaked photos revealed partygoers sporting MAGA-inspired caps and “blue lives matter” tops, Sweeney simply brushed it off by claiming guests “thought it would be funny to wear.”
Something is unsettling about a blonde, registered Republican woman boasting about her “great jeans.” Whether AE was aware of Sweeney's previous controversy or not, it puts into question the intentionality behind the campaign’s message.
Right-wing individuals have since expressed their support and praise for the actress, declaring her their Aryan princess.
While some individuals may claim this situation is being blown out of proportion by liberals, the evidence says otherwise. In fact, with the recent popularisation of far-right politics trickling into Western societies, the public is not wrong to draw such conclusions from AE’s campaign.
Fashion has always been cyclical, reflecting politics, economics and societal norms of that specific period.
Throughout this past year, the fashion world broke from its ties to maximalism and welcomed a more conservative approach to dressing. Logos and bold colours are no longer the norm. Instead, hues of beige, cream and eggshell fill the racks of various clothing stores and catwalks.
Branded as “quiet luxury,” this new trend in modern fashion prides itself on a polished look with muted tones and modest silhouettes as a means of discreetly communicating wealth. This aesthetic is not achievable via fast fashion but rather with elevated basics from brands like The Row, Khaite and Phoebe Philo.
However, many consumers note the trend's segregating undertones. It is the specification of “quiet luxury” being the inverse of logomania, an aesthetic popularised by the hip-hop culture of the late '90s and early 2000s. Its insistence on separating itself from a trend mainly marketed by the black community suggests that its exclusivity goes beyond just the price of a garment.
Much like the colour palette it promotes, it seems as though the only welcomed participants in the “quiet luxury” aesthetic are white.
The world of luxury fashion seldom associates blackness with “sleek” and “chic,” but rather with gaudiness. Quiet luxury’s adamance on exclusivity, classism and neutrality reflects our political climate and aids in perpetuating the same bigotry and prejudice into the realm of fashion.
However, not all brands conform to this cultural insensitivity.
Luxury brand Ralph Lauren’s campaign, Oak Bluffs, is a celebration of the sharp styling ever present within the Black community of Martha’s Vineyard. Oak Bluffs illuminates the people’s longstanding history with the island. Conceived five years prior to its launch, Oak Bluffs is the brand’s first-ever campaign featuring an all-Black creative team and cast.
Luxury isn’t quiet if it excludes. Style gains depth and meaning when it acknowledges the influence of non-white communities—and until it does, “quiet” is just code for whitewashed.
This article originally appeared in Volume 46, Issue 1, published September 2, 2025.
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