In a searing social media tirade, University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley ignited a storm of cultural reckoning, targeting fashion retailer American Eagle Outfitters for what she described as “a deliberate erasure of Black legacy.” The 54-year-old coach, fresh from an undefeated 2024 campaign, lambasted the brand’s “Great Jeans” campaign starring Sydney Sweeney, accusing it of sidelining WNBA superstar Angel Reese and distorting denim’s cultural roots. “Jeans were born from our struggle, our labor, our creativity,” Staley declared, calling for a national apology and warning that “silence will cost them the culture.”
The campaign, released in July 2025, played on a double entendre — “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” — but drew widespread condemnation for its tone-deaf pun and alleged racial undertones. Staley underscored denim’s true heritage, reminding followers that enslaved Black artisans in the 1800s helped craft early denim designs that fueled America’s industrial wardrobe and later, its hip-hop aesthetic. Her words carried the sting of historical reckoning: “They chose her — a white actress — over Angel Reese, a symbol of modern Black excellence? That’s not just marketing; that’s erasure.”
Although Angel Reese refrained from directly demanding a boycott, she lent her voice to Staley’s call for recognition, posting on X, “Our culture built this — time to see us in it.” The statement galvanized a movement. The hashtag #JeansForUs caught fire, amassing millions of interactions within hours and inspiring a Change.org petition that swiftly crossed 100,000 signatures. As the controversy grew, American Eagle’s stock reportedly dipped 3%, with foot traffic in urban stores plunging by double digits — a tangible echo of the digital outrage.
Sydney Sweeney attempted to diffuse the backlash in a GQ interview, dismissing the uproar with, “It’s just jeans — lighten up,” before issuing a lukewarm apology that critics pounced on as performative. The retailer released a brief statement expressing “regret for any unintended offense,” yet declined to withdraw the campaign, opting instead for vague “listening sessions.” To many, that move felt like corporate damage control, not accountability.
Staley’s stance reignited deeper conversations about cultural appropriation in fashion and the monetization of Black identity. “Either apologize nationally and feature Angel Reese,” she warned, “or accept losing the culture you exploit.” As holiday shopping season looms, the denim dispute has evolved beyond fabric and fashion — it’s now a battle over legacy, visibility, and who gets to define America’s cultural identity in the threads of its most iconic garment.
