Some internet users have also accused AE of ripping off a 1980s Calvin Klein ad campaign starring supermodel Brooke Shields, SJ Denim reported. The ad showed a 14-year-old Shields rolling on the floor and trying to put on her jeans while discussing how “the secret of life lies behind the genetic code.”

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., a clothing and apparel retailer headquartered in South Side, has gone viral over the past few days for a controversial denim campaign starring actress Sydney Sweeney.

American Eagle’s new denim campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney has sparked backlash over a “genes" pun. Here’s what’s behind the controversy—and why it’s drawing so much attention.