American Eagle and its leisure brand, Aerie, have quietly been changing the fashion game.
Not only do they sell inclusive clothing in a wide range of sizes, they now sell adaptive clothing for those with special medical needs. And honestly? They’re all cute as hell.
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American Eagle has really changed.
Right under our noses, it seems!
Gone are the days of feeling excluded from fashion brands. American Eagle and Aerie have come to embrace everyone , and that strategy is proving to be incredibly lucrative for them.
Empowerment and body positivity are at the core of their success.
From Aerie’s decision to stop airbrushing or photoshopping their models to American Eagle’s massively expanded size range, things are rapidly changing for the retailer.
They’ve proven that inclusivity equals money: Aerie has posted double-digit sales growth a few years in a row now.
Check this out.
Their website allows you to see how their different jean sizes look on different models. You can choose 00, 6, 12, or 22 and see how the jeans fit on variety of body types!
And Aerie is killing the game when it comes to casting diverse models.
They have featured brand role models from all areas of life. They’ve branched out from college students to feature working moms, professionals, fitness instructors, plus-size models, moms-to-be, and so much more.
They team up with specific organizations to give back.
And to feature some amazing women. In 2019, they partnered with the Special Olympics to profile amazing female athletes.
They were celebrating the Global Week of Inclusion and welcomed the athletes to the Aerie Studio for a full day of photoshoots.
So yeah, maybe we stan.
In a world where so many things feel impersonal, it’s refreshing to feel like a brand not only cares, but wants to actively give back.
American Eagle’s inclusivity now expands to adaptive wear, and you just have to see it. They partnered with Abilitee Adaptive Wear to bring inclusive styles to everyone.
First up: Adaptive Underwear.
As you can see, it’s specially designed to clasp open and closed, as opposed to being removed the old-fashioned way. It allows anyone to transition in and out of clothing, no matter their physical abilities.
They currently come in black and white in both bikini and high waisted .
Next: the Abilitee Soft Sleeve.
The Abilitee Sleeve comes in three colors: hot fuchsia , indigo , and charcoal .
It’s designed to protect your skin from sun exposure, skin irritation, and chafing. It also comfortably holds IV lines. Also? It’s cute.
You can match that with: the Abilitee Insulin Pump Belt
Keep your insulin pump, meds, phone, or headphones secure with the built-in pocket.
AE describes the seams as sensory-friendly. It also comes in three colors: the fuchsia , indigo , and charcoal . It also has 5 star reviews for its inclusivity!
They even make ostomy bags.
And the styles are pretty cheeky. They have 2 available so far: this camo one , as well as a hot pink one that says, “hot shit.”
Last up: The Abilitee Cath Clip.
This cath clip comes in both soft pink and pastel blue .
AE’s instructions say: “Used to secure dangling tubes, caths, and cords. Open the clip, gather the excess tubing, place between the two layers of straps, & close the snaps. Then, open the clip and attach it to a shirt or bag.”
This is just the latest step in American Eagle’s evolution.
On top of expanding their clothing options to work for everyone , they’re also taking on sustainability.
Last year, they launched American Eagle Style Drop , a rental service that you can subscribe to for $50/month.
It aims to cut down on fashion waste.
By subscribing, you get access to their clothing delivery service that drops off 3 pieces a month to your door.
When you’re done with a piece, you can send it back. Shipping is free, and so is the dry cleaning.
All hail the rise of thoughtful fashion brands.
Between campaigns that donate every dollar of their sales to programs for disadvantaged youth to cutting out plastic bags, AE and Aerie are working hard to be a force for good in the world.
