Not All Jeans Fit The Same: Intersectionality and The Divide Between American Eagle and GAP’s Approaches to Representation

Abstract

Intersectionality explains how overlapping identities shape how people are represented. In an ad, it can be seen when models with different racial backgrounds, body types, and gender expressions are shown in ways that highlight how their combined identities affect how they are portrayed. This research analyzes the intersectionality that is represented in American Eagle ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ with Sydney Sweeney and GAP ‘Better in Denim’ with KATSEYE. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, the data were gathered from campaign videos, taglines, visual elements, and verbal narratives released in 2025. The findings reveal a contrast between two campaigns : American Eagle relies on single-axis representation centered on white femininity, while GAP presents a collective, multicultural femininity that more reflects intersectional values. This study argues that despite being both commercial instruments, the representational choices used in both advertisements make a difference in reflecting and negotiating intersectionality in the modern media.