American Eagle

**American Eagle** (**AE**) is an American clothing and accessories retailer headquartered at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc.

In 2019, they collaborated with American rapper Lil Wayne to launch the 25-piece collection, AE x Young Money. Wayne told *Billboard*, "It's a big deal. First of all, it's American Eagle. You know what I mean? I didn't think they'd consider me when they were thinking about putting something out. I didn't think Lil Wayne crossed their mind or Young Money crossed their mind. So it's just an honor".

## Background

The launch party was held on July 15, while the line officially dropped in retail stores on August 10, 2019. Wayne said of the partnership, "I define my own style, on my own terms, and created a collection with American Eagle that is unapologetically me. The AE x Young Money collection brings together music and fashion, two of the most powerful forms of self-expression that have allowed me to always live my truth". He told *PAPER* his favorite clothing were tie-dyed shirts, while he shared to *E! Online*, "American Eagle is a brand that represents the future and is always looking to tomorrow. I pay attention to what my fans wear and know they love the brand, so I got together with American Eagle to co-create the AE x Young Money collection for today's generation".

AE's lobal brand president, Chad Kessler, said, "Our collaboration with Lil Wayne and the AE x Young Money collection has brought together a diverse cast of creatives who are expressing themselves through music, dance, skateboarding and live performances, while highlighting the true comfort and flexibility of AE jeans". He mentioned of launching the collection to store and online, where normally brand collaborations had "limited distribution", though this time they wanted everyone to have access. He continued that they reached out to the rapper became of "Uproar"'s popularity with Gen Z customers, and "We just love his style, we love him as an individual and thought it'd be exciting to work with him".

American Eagle's creative director, Michael Goldberg, noted to *Complex* of the collection being "authentic", where their target audience of youth and Gen Z "embodies creativity, individuality, and [...] love music". He added, "So, as an iconic artist who pushes culture forward, Wayne is the perfect fit for the American Eagle customer. We stand for individuality and self-expression, and who better to represent that than Lil Wayne?"

In another statement, Wayne described it as "a collection that blends my personality with American Eagle's iconic style. We designed the AE x Young Money collection with purpose and pride. Whether it's my music or my style, I have always used both as an outlet for creativity and to live my truth—without apologies. American Eagle gets it. The brand celebrates individuality and to me that's something I want to be a part of". The rapper was also featured in AE's Fall '19 campaign. The campaign visual, directed by Mathieu Plainfossé, was set at a Homecoming dance and Wayne performing "Uproar" live.

Wayne's manager, Cortez Bryant, called the collab "dope". He noted, "We always look for things to expand the brand of Young Money outside of just music. Clothes are a level of expression. This year we just wanted to find something that resonated and was more affordable for all the fans across the world because it is an international campaign. American Eagle has integrity, good quality clothes, and the partnership made sense". He revealed how they got "full creative autonomy" for the line and did his research of the brand to see if it would align with theirs.

## Gallery

* Music Video
* Advice on Dating
* Advice on Skating
* Never Have I Ever

* Tie-Dye Denim Jacket
* $100
* Tie-Dye Hoodie
* $80
* Tie-Dye Long-Sleeved T-Shirt
* $35
* Tie-Dye T-Shirt
* $30
* Tie-Dye Jeans
* $70
* Tie-Dye Shorts
* $40
* Black Denim Jacket
* $100
* Black Jeans
* $60
* Black Shorts
* $40
* Black Boxers
* $16
* Grey Hoodie
* $80
* Grey Long-Sleeved T-Shirt
* $35
* White Long-Sleeved T-Shirt
* $35
* White T-Shirt
* $30
* White Boxers
* $16
* Blue T-Shirt
* $30
* Blue Jeans
* $60
* Graphic T-Shirt
* $30
* Cap
* $18
* Beanie
* $18
* Bucket Hat
* $18
* Sling Bag
* $25
* Young Money Chain
* $100
* Smile Chain
* $100
* Skateboard Deck
* $60

## References

1. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (July 18, 2019). "Lil Wayne Talks American Eagle Teaming, Touring With Blink-182 & What Makes Tyga Great: 'He Reminds Me of Flo Rida'". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ Gillespie, Katherine (July 16, 2019). "Lil Wayne Talks Us Through His New Clothing Line". *PAPER*.
3. ↑ Vulpo, Mike (August 23, 2019). "7 Dope Items From Lil Wayne x American Eagle's Young Money Collection". *E! Online*.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Anyanwu, Obi (July 14, 2019). "American Eagle Taps Lil Wayne for Collaboration". *WWD*.
5. ↑ Hughes, Aria (July 15, 2019). "Lil Wayne Talks American Eagle Collab, Struggle Rappers, and New Album". *Complex*.
6. ↑ Elibert, Mark (July 29, 2019). "Cortez Bryant Talks Young Money Collection with American Eagle and TRUKFIT'S Possible Return". *Vibe*.