American Eagle And Ralph Lauren Just Ended The Era Of Ugly

Lately, it feels like that magic is coming back. Not in every campaign, of course, but two of the most talked-about fashion moments this week have one thing in common: they remind people what it's like to see aspirational beauty.

Sydney Sweeney's All-American Appeal

Let’s start with Sydney Sweeney's collaboration with American Eagle. In one ad, she’s sitting in a bare room on a velvet blue chair, wearing a denim jacket and jeans. She playfully talks about how the jeans are comfortable and make your butt look great. In another, she’s lying back and buttoning them up, channeling Brooke Shields in the original Calvin Klein era.

The vibe is flirty, feminine, and a little Americana. The campaign doesn't say or do anything radical. It's not obscene, subversive, or even particularly edgy. It's just simple and sexy, and apparently, it worked.

Why It Worked

The ad went viral within hours. American Eagle’s stock surged around 18%, adding over $300 million in value, while the featured “Sydney Jean” started trending. Customers even reported their orders getting canceled due to availability issues, suggesting demand outpaced inventory almost immediately.

And then, predictably, the backlash began. Some questioned whether the ad was too sexualized, which is a fair discussion. But others veered into the absurd, accusing Sydney of promoting “Nazi propaganda" because she’s blonde with blue eyes.

Which is, honestly, embarrassing. How is that a serious take in 2025? A beautiful white woman in a denim ad is not a fascist dog whistle. As Michael Jordan once said, “Stop it. Get some help.”

But the audience wasn’t buying the woke narrative, literally or figuratively. The campaign racked up millions of views, turned heads across platforms, translated into real sales, and went viral in the most traditional way possible: because people liked it.

Interestingly, the usual cycle of outrage didn’t dominate the conversation like it would have five years ago. It appears that today, more women are tuning out politics and spending their money on what makes them feel good rather than worrying about making some kind of political statement. That's notable because many brands are flailing to understand Gen Z, while this particular campaign delivered something they didn’t even know they missed: simple, unapologetic beauty.

A Different Kind of Representation

Now contrast that with the other campaign that broke the internet: Ralph Lauren’s latest collection, celebrating Black Excellence. Shot in Oak Bluffs, the historic black enclave on Martha’s Vineyard beloved by generations of HBCU families, the campaign feels like a love letter to coastal prep school culture.

Designed in association with Morehouse and Spelman alumni at Ralph Lauren, the collection blends collegiate tradition and seaside leisure: twill jackets, satin varsity finishes, nautical knits, and embroidered landscapes drawn from the island itself.

What makes this campaign powerful is what it didn’t do. No stereotypes, no performative tackiness, no postmodern “urban” clichés. Just fit, beautiful models in refined, polished looks. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with many on social media celebrating seeing black people depicted as cultured, stylish, and aspirational.

The Woke Aesthetic Has Lost Its Grip

Still, TikTok had its usual critics complaining about “black elitism,” as if dressing well somehow plays into "white supremacy." The political belief that style must always be subversive has warped the way many people see fashion and self-expression, but this campaign doesn’t play into that. It embraces beauty, excellence, and class, and people loved it. Demand for the collection was immediate, with items flying off shelves and into waitlists.

What both campaigns make clear is something many have felt for a while: woke fatigue is real. For nearly a decade, fashion pushed ugliness, obesity, weirdness, and shock value. But most people just want to see beauty and be inspired by it. And that only works when what we’re shown actually is beautiful, not when we're scolded into redefining it beyond recognition in the name of "inclusion."

For some, beauty is a threat unless it’s wrapped in irony or apology, but the cultural shift is becoming impossible to ignore. Sydney Sweeney looking great in jeans doesn’t mean fascism is on the way, and Ralph Lauren showcasing elegant black models isn't racist.

It just means people still recognize beauty and excellence when they see it. And they want more of it.