Other Credit Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015	May 02, 2015 Entity
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Borrowing agreements, number of financial institutions		2aeo_NumberOfFinancialInstitution
Demand letter of credit facilities
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Borrowing agreements with financial institutions		155,000,000
Trade Letter of Credit
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowings		17,500,000
Asset Based Credit Facility
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, expiration period	5 years
Borrowing agreements with financial institutions	400,000,000
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Disclosure [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding amount		8,100,000
Borrowings		0

Contract Term

No definition available.

Name:	aeo_ContractTerm
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	aeo_DebtDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Financial Institution

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_NumberOfFinancialInstitution
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date for the aggregate of other miscellaneous borrowings owed by the reporting entity.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=aeo_TradeLetterOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=aeo_AssetBasedCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=aeo_UnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
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