Redefining American Iconography: The Sydney Sweeney Jeans Campaign

A fashion retailer has chosen a slim white female model over larger black models to promote their jeans, and surprisingly, it proved more effective. From el gato malo at boriquagato.substack.com: "The illusionary ideology clashes directly with reality." "Are you convinced you're an icon? Well, remember when icons represented timeless classics," as DJ 8ball once reflected in San Francisco during his energetic rave days. Fashion, culture, and memes all have the potential to become iconic—symbols that transcend time, instantly recognizable and meaningful. Icons serve as markers or reference points, embodying ideal forms. For many, especially those from Generation X and older, the Sydney Sweeney jeans advertisement is a clear example of an icon—a deliberate homage to a bygone era, reminiscent of a Le Corbusier chaise lounge or 1950s sportswear. It resembles countless images from one's lifetime—a piece of Americana as familiar as summer sunshine, yet completely unremarkable. This ad exemplifies how branding taps into nostalgia, especially as jeans styles shift from the fitted skinny jeans of the past decade back to the relaxed, low-rise silhouettes of the 80s and 90s. The retro adv...