Young at Heart: How American Eagle Became Gen Z’s Favorite Brand for Jeans
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. knows what lane it is driving in.
The retailer’s ability to track and pivot into emerging trends and categories helps make its American Eagle (AE) brand the No. 1 jeans line for its targeted core customer between ages 15 to 25. A wide assortment of fits and washes that nod to past eras, coupled with comfort-driven fabrics have made AE denim a staple in closets for back-to-school, while denim accessories, co-branded collections and licensed gear keeps consumers coming back for more.
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“As a leading jeans brand, we are so excited to be in a denim cycle right now,” said Renee Heim, AE’s chief product officer.
Heim joined American Eagle as senior vice president for women’s apparel and accessories in January 2021. Her background in product and merchandising in past leadership roles at Vineyard Vines and J.Crew gives her the expertise to create a new denim experience for consumers through product, storytelling and newness.
Here, Heim sheds light on AE’s latest strategies for denim, fabrications and the back-to-school season.
Rivet: The company has been driving growth in the American Eagle brand by going deeper in casual wear. What are some of the casual dressing options or extensions that you’ve invested in to complete a denim outfit?
Renee Heim: American Eagle launched its “Live Your Life” brand platform in late July, empowering customers to go out and do the things they love in the clothes that make them happy. As a leading jeans brand, we are so excited to be in a denim cycle right now. We are leveraging denim to inspire a full lifestyle, seeing success with pieces that support year-round wear, like our women’s Dreamy Drape collection. This reflects the social casual fashion trend we’re seeing now.
We’re blending street, social and runway influences to create easier fits with bottoms that complement casual tops. For women, this means incorporating femme details like ruffles and bows. For men, we’re offering wider, boxier tops and standout prints. We interpret these trends through AE’s unique fabrications, using soft, stretch fabrics that provide comfort without sacrificing style.
Rivet: Who is your core American Eagle customer and targeted age range?
RH: AE is the No. 1 jeans brand for 15-to-25-year-olds, the No. 1 jeans brand for women overall, and the No. 2 jeans destination across all demographics.
This broad appeal is due to our ability to quickly pivot into emerging trends and categories, offering a wide range of styles that accommodate multiple generations. While our Gen Z customer might drive trends through platforms like TikTok, we offer something for everyone, like moms and young professionals who appreciate balance, variety, and more elevated dressing, which can be found within the brand’s AE77 collection.
Rivet: What is the proportion between men’s and women’s in the overall assortment mix?
RH: Our assortment mix is approximately 65 percent women to 35 percent men. Denim plays a more significant role in our women’s business, particularly with women embracing new styles, like wider-leg silhouettes. For our AE guy, we’re iterating on various pants and casual bottoms to keep up with evolving trends, and to ensure men are choosing AE when they’re in the market for new jeans.
Rivet: What are some key fabrications and finishes for men’s and women’s denim?
RH: For women, our styles are focusing on a more classic, heritage look in line with trends, while still maintaining AE jeans’ foundation of comfort and stretch for a modern approach to denim. Men’s trends are leaning into cleaner, more traditional washes with straight fits. Our fabrication still reflects a super-soft feel, offering the look of rigid denim with a touch of stretch in all the right places.
This shift requires significant innovation to maintain comfort and style. We’ve introduced our Strigid denim, which combines stretch in essential areas like the waistband and backside with a rigid front for a classic look with modern comfort. And, our Dreamy Drape fabric has been a customer favorite, featuring soft, lightweight denim with a wide leg for a cool, slouchy fit.
Our EasyFlex fabrication for men offers the rigid denim look with the comfort of stretch, making traditional denim styles more wearable.
Rivet: Y2K has been a big trend in denim. Any thoughts on what might be the next decade that will drive denim trends?
RH: We’re seeing an eclectic mix right now, blending influences from the ’70s, ’90s, and 2000s. Trends from the ’70s reflect silhouettes that are getting lower and looser, while more neutral and block-inspired patterns nod to the early aughts. This eclectic influence of past generations allows us to keep our offerings diverse and interesting.
Rivet: What is AE’s strategy for licensed collections and collaborations?
RH: AE has always been at the forefront of culture, and our licensed collections, like those with Mickey Mouse and Peanuts, resonate because they speak to the optimism and nostalgia of our customers. Our recent success with the Peanuts collections and the hit series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” demonstrate the range and relevance of our collaborations, showcasing how we create connections across generations. These products and partnerships keep the conversation going with our customers, complement our core assortment, and provide the opportunity to add newness and excitement.
Rivet: This summer, American Eagle and Aerie released their first collaboration. How was the collection received by customers?
RH: The AE x Aerie A Match Made in Denim collaboration was very well received. It demonstrates the power of how our brands are better together and appeals to a broader range of consumers. We know our best customers shop across brands, and we’re always looking for ways to innovate by giving customers a reason to explore all of our brands.
Rivet: Western trends gained a lot of buzz this year. Has it affected AE?
RH: The Western trend was significant, especially with cultural moments—like Beyoncé’s album launch—instantly influencing fashion. We approached the Western trend with a subtle touch, inspiring customers to express their individuality, whether that’s through simple touches or bold statements. We offer pieces like cowboy boots, Western-inspired jewelry, and a variety of denim, providing versatility in styling and excitement for the consumer who’s all-in on the trend and the one who prefers to dabble around the edges.
We even had some fun showcasing this trend within our Peanuts collection, offering Western-inspired pajamas and crew socks featuring a yeehaw-ready Snoopy.
Rivet: Other brands have reported success with denim tops, dresses, skirts—items besides traditional 5-pocket jeans. Has that filtered down yet to the younger customer? What about denim accessories?
RH: We are all about providing our customers the head-to-toe denim styles they’re craving. When denim is trending, we make sure every category has a denim option, from tube tops to jackets. Denim accessories like boho bags, hair scrunchies, and earrings are also popular. This comprehensive approach helps us stay relevant and appeal to our denim-loving customers.
Rivet: What is AE’s approach for back-to-school this year?
RH: It’s a good mix of both core AE basics and statement pieces. What’s interesting is that when a fashion item hits TikTok and gains popularity, it often becomes a core piece in our assortment. AE has consistently been on the forefront of fashion trends and having the ability to pivot quickly has set us up with a strong foundation for when the back-to-school season approaches. Our collections celebrate individuality and living your life in your favorite AE styles, reflecting our spirit of innovation and adaptability.
Rivet: Tell me about AE’s fall collection.
RH: This fall and beyond, we’re excited about newer fits like the stovepipe, which comes in classic, cuffed, and a variety of washes. The emerging barrel fit has been an incredible opportunity for us. We’re seeing a lot of fun, fresh trends for women, with styles emphasizing puddling around the shoe. After the success of the cargo pants trend last year, we’ve tapped into some of our favorite denim silhouettes, such as Dreamy Drape, to extend our bottoms styles beyond jeans.
For men, athletic fits, bootcut, and straight jeans featuring our EasyFlex fabrication are crucial, offering guys the authentic denim look they want with just enough flex for all-day comfort.
It’s all about versatility of product. We have something for the high-trend consumer, as well as those who might be interested in more classic fits. For women and men, we’re really leaning into full outfitting, ensuring customers know how to wear our products from head to toe. AE jeans can stand alone. However, we’re [also] providing really great tops and accessories that our customers can relate to and live their life in.