XML 43 R32.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2020 USD ($) Segment	Aug. 03, 2019 USD ($) Segment	Aug. 01, 2020 USD ($) Segment	Aug. 03, 2019 USD ($) Segment	Feb. 01, 2020 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | Segment		1	1	1	1
Operating lease right-of-use assets		$ 1,271,491,000	$ 1,462,544,000	$ 1,271,491,000	$ 1,462,544,000	$ 1,418,916,000
Net increase (decrease) to opening retained earnings due to cumulative impact of adoption		1,807,687,000	2,070,077,000	1,807,687,000	2,070,077,000	$ 2,108,292,000
Unrealized gain (loss) included in accumulated other comprehensive income		7,059,000	(1,276,000)	$ (14,823,000)	(1,798,000)
Weighted average remaining useful life, assets				7 years 6 months
Long-lived asset impairment charges		0	0	$ 51,500,000	0
Goodwill impairment charge				0
Definite-lived impairment charges		0	0	0	0
Revenue related to gift card breakage		1,600,000	1,800,000	3,300,000	3,900,000
Impairment of operating lease ROU assets		$ 0	$ 0	$ 84,100,000	$ 0
Number of operating segments | Segment				2
Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangibles, useful life				15 years
Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Definite-lived intangibles, useful life				25 years
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Operating lease right-of-use assets	$ 1,600,000,000
Operating lease, liability	1,600,000,000
Tax effects to retained earnings	15,000,000.0
Deferred rent	82,900,000
Deferred lease credits	55,000,000.0
Prepaid rent to the operating lease right-of-use asset	40,400,000
Reduction in net operating lease right-of-use asset	1,400,000,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net increase (decrease) to opening retained earnings due to cumulative impact of adoption	$ (44,400,000)

X

- Definition

Deferred lease credits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_DeferredLeaseCredits
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Property plant and equipment weighted average useful life.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Reduction in operating lease right of use asset.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_ReductionInOperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Retained earnings tax effect.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_RetainedEarningsTaxEffect
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Revenue related to gift card breakage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aeo_RevenueRelatedToGiftCardBreakage
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Significant accounting policies.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

The cumulative difference between the rental payments required by a lease agreement and the rental income or expense recognized on a straight-line basis, or other systematic and rational basis more representative of the time pattern in which use or benefit is granted or derived from the leased property, expected to be recognized in income or expense over the term of the leased property by the lessor or lessee, respectively.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121549951&loc=d3e39896-112707

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13854-109267

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13777-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of a finite-lived intangible asset to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16373-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsFinitelived
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The aggregate amount of write-downs for impairments recognized during the period for long lived assets held for use (including those held for disposal by means other than sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226348&loc=d3e2420-110228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8672-108599

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8672-108599

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of loss from impairment of right-of-use asset from operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593497&loc=SL77918431-209957

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121641772&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of asset related to consideration paid in advance for rent that provides economic benefits within a future period of one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 10
-Section 05
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68074540&loc=d3e5879-108316

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121566466&loc=d3e6787-107765

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (g)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121566466&loc=d3e6676-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6387103&loc=d3e6435-108320

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PrepaidRent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The cumulative amount of the reporting entity's undistributed earnings or deficit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(30)(a)(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 65
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (g)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121322162&loc=SL121327923-165333

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(23)(a)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 65
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121370832&loc=SL117420844-207641

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 65
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)(2)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121370832&loc=SL117420844-207641

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_CumulativeEffectPeriodOfAdoptionAxis=srt_CumulativeEffectPeriodOfAdoptionAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: