The Blame Game: Sydney Sweeney and Brooke Shields

American Eagle’s most recent ad, featuring Sydney Sweeney, has sent shock waves across the internet. The campaign features commentary on Sweeney’s ‘great jeans’ in a tone-deaf effort to promote the company’s new line. As with most online controversies, everyone seems to have an opinion – it’s certainly been hard to miss.

Interestingly, the ad bears a striking similarity to a 1980s Calvin Klein jeans commercial featuring – and sexualising – a young Brooke Shields. Was American Eagle paying homage to the actress? Was it a sheer coincidence? Regardless, it’s been frustrating to see history repeat itself.

Sweeney and Shields do have one unmistakable thing in common: they’ve both borne the brunt of these controversial campaigns. Even at the young age of 15, the media portrayed Shields as a scapegoat. And so, the pattern of blame and shame begun. Shields reflected on the ad in a 2021 interview with Vogue.

‘I didn’t think it was about underwear or sexual in nature. I was naïve.’

-Brooke Shields

As for Sweeney, the media has accused her of leaning into ‘sex appeal’ to promote eugenics and appease the far right. But should 100% of the blame fall on her?

In the current climate of American politics, people are mad, and rightfully so. Sweeney should take accountability for the role she played; there’s no doubt about it. But, as the media continues to disgrace this young woman, American Eagle is not just unscathed; their sales are booming. In fact, after the ad, their shares surged by 10%. It seems pitting the internet against the ‘problematic’ celebrity-of-the-week has once again paid off.

In a shock turn of events, Sweeney’s saving grace has been President Donald Trump, who jumped online to support the ad.

After all, it makes sense that one of the most powerful men in the world, and a fashion connoisseur, should release a public statement that further sexualises her. He speaks on behalf of women everywhere, I’m sure.

Maybe Sweeney and Shields both knew what they were doing. Maybe they wouldn’t change a thing. But at the end of the day, whilst we frantically point fingers at these two successful women, the world seems to have forgotten the brands that created the ads, the companies that are benefiting behind closed doors.

Women continue to be the sacrificial lambs of Hollywood, and I suppose some things may never change. But, as they say, any publicity is good publicity.

Pia Connell