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Decades ago, before Sydney Sweeney became known for having “great jeans,” Brooke Shields had her own controversial “genes” advertisement for Calvin Klein.
Sweeney caused a stir online recently with an American Eagle Jeans ad that received criticism after she discussed how genes are inherited from parents and influence traits like hair color, personality, and eye color.
“My jeans are blue,” she stated as the camera zoomed in on her eyes. This advertisement is part of American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney has Great Jeans” campaign and bears a striking resemblance to the one Shields starred in 45 years ago.
Years before Sydney Sweeney, left, had “great jeans,” Brooke Shields did her own controversial ad for Calvin Klein. (American Eagle; ALAMY)
Shields was only 15 years old when she starred in the Calvin Klein campaign, famously declaring that “nothing” comes between her and her jeans – a line that sparked controversy due to the sexualization of a minor.
In another commercial from the campaign, the “Suddenly Susan” actress addressed the camera and discussed the role of genes in determining individual characteristics and passing them on to future generations.
She continued by explaining how gene drift, selective mating, and natural selection could lead to the evolution of species.
Shields delivered these lines while struggling to put on a pair of jeans without revealing too much and contorting into various positions.
Reflecting on the campaign three years ago, the now-60-year-old actress told Vogue that the advertisements aimed to provide an “intellectual spin” on typical jeans ads by incorporating wordplay, historical references, or literary references.
American Eagle released a statement on its social media last Friday, saying, “’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ 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. Great jeans look good on everyone.” (American Eagle)
She mentioned that the swift backlash to the ads, including bans in certain locations, seemed “ridiculous” to her.
“What was surprising to me was the accusations of, ‘Oh, you knew this was happening. This is what you intended. You were thinking these thoughts.’ I was a young girl and where I was, I was naive,” Shields shared.
In Shields’ case, the criticism mainly focused on the sexual nature of her most famous ad, where she famously said, “You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”
“I think the controversy ended up working in our favor,” Shields told Vogue in 2021. “The campaign was incredibly successful.”
The backlash against Sweeney’s campaign was similarly swift, but this time it faced intense scrutiny on social media, with some suggesting it hinted at “eugenics” and “White supremacy.”
Brooke Shields with Calvin Klein in 1981. ( Tom Gates/Getty Images)
However, some individuals, including President Donald Trump, came to the defense of the ad.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves.’ The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers.”
He also commented to reporters, “If Sydney Sweeney is a Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”
“’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ 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. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Jesse Watters addressed this comparison on his show recently while dismissing the backlash.
Brooke Shields in 2021 holding a pair of the original Calvin Klein jeans she once advertised in 1980. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“This is a Madison Avenue campaign tactic that has been used since the 1980s, playing on words with jeans,” he remarked. “They’ve done it with brown-eyed girls and Blacks and blondes.”
Sydney Sweeney made her first public appearance following the controversy at the Los Angeles screening of “Americana” on Aug. 3, 2025. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
American Eagle issued a response on its social media last Friday, stating, “’Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ 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. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The company’s recent social media updates also feature several models of color alongside Sweeney’s campaign.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to American Eagle, Sweeney, and Shields for their input.
