A few years into her time overseeing American Eagle Outfitters’ Aerie division, Jennifer Foyle felt the loungewear and intimate apparel brand needed to stake a flag in the ground to stand out in a crowded sector.
It was 2014, at the twilight of Victoria’s Secret’s cultural dominance before a consumer backlash against unrealistic supermodel-led body standards had started to hurt the lingerie brand’s sales. Aerie was ahead of its time among mass-market brands: It had leaned into body positivity before that became a mainstream term by offering larger sizes earlier than peers, and focusing on comfort and fit, rather than sexiness in service to the male gaze.
