Long-Term Debt, Net - Schedule of Notes Conversion Amounts (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Oct. 29, 2022	Apr. 30, 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price per share		$ 8.27
2025 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of shares convertible	8,418
Conversion price per share	$ 8.27
Value in excess of principal if converted	$ 24,722

Debt instrument conversion shares to be issued if converted.

No definition available.

Name:	aeo_DebtInstrumentConversionSharesToBeIssuedIfConverted
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The price per share of the conversion feature embedded in the debt instrument.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031898-161870

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495323-112611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleConversionPrice1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount by which the convertible debt's if-converted value exceeds its principle amount at the balance sheet date, regardless of whether the instrument is currently convertible. This element applies to public companies only.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleIfConvertedValueInExcessOfPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: