Sydney Sweeney stuns in pant-free HeyDude campaign amid AE controversy

Sydney Sweeney is fronting HeyDude's latest fashion campaign, appearing in a look that suggests she is without pants while wearing a suede jacket and the brand's Austin Lift shoes. The two photos released by HeyDude on Instagram show the 28-year-old actress posed on a tall stool in a brick-walled studio, with the jacket draped over her back to emphasize the pantless effect.

In the first image, she laughs with her head tilted back and knees pulled up to her chest, the jacket hanging down her back to enhance the illusion of bare legs. In the second, her legs are crossed, and micro mini suede shorts peek out from beneath the look. The campaign marks Sweeney's continued partnership with HeyDude, which she joined in late 2024 as part of the brand's bid to appeal to a younger audience after being acquired by Crocs. Since then, she has appeared in multiple video and print ads across the brand's platforms.

This marks the first fashion campaign for Sweeney since the American Eagle denim campaign drew widespread attention. American Eagle reported a stock rise of about 40 percent after the release of that ad, which the retailer described as generating new customer acquisition. Critics argued the messaging relied on racial coding, prompting public discussions about representation. The campaign also drew a spoof from Katie Couric, who parodied the ads in a colon cancer screening PSA that referenced genes and jeans, though Sweeney has declined to discuss AE questions further.

Off the campaign front, Sweeney is promoting her biopic, Christy, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival a few weeks ago. The project has kept Sweeney in the public eye as she navigates high-profile advertising work alongside her film commitments.

These latest HeyDude ads appear across the brand's platforms and come as Sweeney continues to build a diversified portfolio that includes both fashion campaigns and major movie roles.