Sydney Sweeney – if you’re active on the internet, I have no doubt you’ve heard of her. Known for her roles in The White Lotus and Everything Sucks!, as well as her breakout, Emmy-nominated role as Cassie in Euphoria, Sweeney has risen to popularity amongst teens and young adults in the last few years. As a young celebrity, the actress is no stranger to collaborations and partnerships with brands, as well as other business ventures. In 2020, she founded her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, and released a collection with Frankie’s Bikinis earlier this year. But the business venture that is drawing more attention recently is her collaboration with Ford (yes, the car company) and Dickies on a line of workwear. Here’s everything you need to know.
The first thing you’re probably wondering is “since when does Sydney Sweeney work with cars?” And the answer to that is “since the pandemic.” When filming stopped along with everything else in the world in March of 2020, Sweeney decided to buy a 1969 Ford Bronco and restore it herself, documenting the process on her TikTok, Syd’s Garage. From changing suspensions to painting the frame to adjusting the transmission, Sweeney was highly involved in the process of refurbishing the car. Her TikToks even continued past lockdown, showing the final product displayed at car shows and out in the world. The account has ascertained a staggering 1.6 million followers of car fans and Sweeney’s fans alike.
On March 22nd, Sweeney posted a video to her Instagram announcing her collaboration with Ford Merchandise, which dropped that same day. The line consists of Dickies bib overalls and their 874 work pants in a brown and pink neutral palette, as well as a matching baseball hat and a Ford and Syd’s Garage branded bandana. They say the products are made so you can “be able to get your hands dirty and look good while doing it.” As a method of advertising the line, Sweeney has partnered with Ford to make some basic car-related tutorials, such as how to check your oil or jump-start a car.
While some might see this as a simple fashion collaboration, it seems Ford and Sweeney alike have an interconnected purpose with their clothing line. In Sweeney’s announcement post, she says “if any other girls out there are interested in cars, do it. it’s so so worth it.” It is no secret that the car community and industry is highly male dominated and often a difficult space to break into. In fact, studies have shown that women often pay upwards of $7,800 more for cars than men, and that women are more likely to suffer injury in cars than men due to vehicle design. The car industry literally doesn’t design cars with women in mind. But in Sweeney’s dual mission of educating on how to operate and fix vehicles as well as the promotion of workwear designed for women in these spaces, she is telling her audience of young women that they deserve just as much of a place in the car world if it interests them.
Here comes the sad news, everyone – the clothing line has been entirely sold out. But there is also reason to say this is a good thing. The success of the line shows that women do have an interest in working on cars, and that collaborations like this can work. If anything, more of Sweeney’s following likely knows about her interest and is seeing that the car community is changing. And due to the success of the line, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more clothing lines and collaborations (involving Sweeney or not) that promote women’s involvement in the car world and appeal to them for a greater cause.