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Beyoncé has stepped into the denim spotlight once again, dazzling fans in a bold new Levi’s campaign just as Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle shoot continues to generate intense scrutiny.
The singer’s glamorous, bedazzled jean look and platinum blonde wig arrive at a time when denim ads are at the center of heated cultural debates.
The 43?year?old superstar struck sizzling poses in a plunging denim jacket embellished with lace and gems, paired with figure-hugging jeans and strappy heels.
Channeling old Hollywood glamour, Beyoncé sported a Marilyn Monroe-inspired blonde wig and even revealed glittering gold grills behind bold red lipstick.
Levi's captioned the post, "BEYONCÉ X LEVI’S® Iconic denim, reimagined. Available August 7 on Levi.com."
The campaign marks her second collaboration with Levi’s this year. Back in February, the "Renaissance" hitmaker fronted another denim?on?denim shoot, this time photographed inside a dive bar while she played pool.
Now, her latest Levi’s ad is being compared directly with Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle campaign, sparking conversations across social media about fashion, culture, and messaging.
The uproar began when the 27?year?old "Euphoria" actress appeared in American Eagle’s fall ads with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
Some saw the ad's tagline as a cheeky pun on denim, while others blasted it as racially charged.
Critics argued that “great genes” has historically been used to glorify whiteness, thinness, and Eurocentric beauty standards.
A Salon report described the phrasing as “a tone?deaf marketing move.” Some detractors even went as far as to call the campaign “Nazi propaganda.”
One critic wrote online, “The Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad campaign is just modern day Nazi propaganda. Like it’s wild how blatant it is.” Another quipped that it was giving “Subtle 1930’s Germany.”
The ads included video spots where Sweeney mused, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour… my genes are blue.”
In another clip, she said, “My body’s composition is determined by my genes… Hey, eyes up here,” as the camera panned her chest before cutting to her face.
In the wake of the backlash, American Eagle released a statement standing firmly behind their star.
“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans,” the brand wrote on Instagram.
They added, “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.”
As the controversy spread, many fans couldn’t help but compare Sweeney’s campaign to Beyoncé’s denim?focused Levi’s shoot.
Both stars were styled in denim?on?denim looks and wore blonde hair. In addition, both Ad campaigns leaned on sultry, close?up visuals.
Several Beyoncé fans took to the comment section of the Levi's campaign post to laud her campaign and stress its superiority over Sweeney's.
One fan wrote, "Other jeans brands COULD NEVER. And I mean ever. Respectfully." Another person shared, "Beyoncé better jeans."
A third fan added, "Better than Sydney Sweeney jeans," while a fourth commented, "Damn Good Jeans.... Cowboy Carter just completed the single most popular and financially successful tour. The rolling out as fashion icons they never wanted our blues or our denim!"
Another fan wrote, "Those curves = good genes."
Although Beyoncé’s fans in the comments stressed that her jeans campaign was better than Sweeney's, several others begged to differ.
One person on Sweeney's side exclaimed, "We want Sydney Sweeney!" Another person added, "Sydney Sweeney did it better. Beyoncé is culture appropriation but yall won’t admit it.."
A third Sweeney supporter shared, "American Eagle does it better and more authentic!" A fourth person added, "Beyonce is now white and blonde, but she'll never be like Sydney Sweeney."
Some people also criticized Beyoncé for trying to be white, with one writing, "Trying to be white," while another added, "I don't know how much of this is a response, but that's just not it. Sydney embraces who she is, while Beyonce straightens and colors her hair, trying to be white-ish as if black women are not beautiful as they are."
Another person wrote, "Wait. She has blonde hair and light skin? Is this Nazi propaganda too?"
However, some people chose to be neutral, with one noting, "White Beyonce looks cute so does Sydney."
