American Eagle (AE) turned to two longtime fans to help design its new back-to-school collection: former “Dance Moms” stars Maddie and Kenzie Ziegler.
The teen specialty retailer teamed with the 20-year-old and 19-year-old multi-hyphenate sisters for an exclusive capsule collection inspired by popular ’90s fashion.
The AE x Maddie & Kenzie collection focuses on essential fits from the decade like olive and khaki wide-leg jeans and high-waisted relaxed straight jeans in black and indigo. Other key items include a vegan leather bomber jacket and lace-trimmed slip dresses. The pieces are styled with baby tees, midi skirts, cropped corset tops and vests.
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The collection retails for $17.95-$149.95 and is available now in AE stores and online.
“We worked closely with the AE team to design pieces that show each of our individual styles while also drawing inspiration from an era that we love so much,” said Kenzie.
“We are so excited to be collaborating with American Eagle—a brand that we have not only grown up with but has allowed us to create something which reflects who we are today,” added Maddie.
The Ziegler siblings are pursuing careers in film, music and dance. In addition to appearing in “Chandelier” singer Sia’s music videos, Maddie starred in the 2021 teen drama “The Fallout.” Kenzie has duetted with Sia and competed on “The Masked Dancer.” They have a combined 28.5 million followers on Instagram and 29.3 million on TikTok. As part of the partnership, they will share their must-haves from the seasonal assortment on their social channels.
“AE jeans are the No.1 brand for women of all ages and men in our core demographic–and we are excited to unleash our denim domination for back-to-school,” said Jennifer Foyle, AE and Aerie president and executive creative director. “The socially-connected Ziegler sisters and their personal approach to styling represent a genuine connection to our customer community, providing the inspiration to incorporate AE jeans into any outfit, for any occasion.”
The launch of AE x Maddie & Kenzie aligns with the rollout of AE’s expanded denim selection for the back-to-school season. The brand added new style options in its Airflex and Ultrasoft denim assortments for men, as well as new hooded flannel and knit shirts. For women, AE is introducing the Dreamy Drape baggy wide-leg jean and a super-high-rise version in addition to waffle shackets and low-back bodysuits.
Partnerships with Gen Z celebrities are proving to be a popular and effective way for AE to connect with young consumers. The brand recently bowed a collection made in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video series “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” It was supported by a social media campaign featuring stars Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno and Lola Tung.
