Washington – A major American department store chain said Friday it has dropped Ivanka Trump’s clothing collection because of low sales.
The retailer Nordstrom said the decision to no longer sell the designs of US President Donald Trump’s daughter was part of a routine business move for clothing lines offered in its 347 stores in 40 states and Canada.
“Reviewing their merit and making edits is part of the regular rhythm of our business. Each year we cut about 10 per cent and refresh our assortment with about the same amount,” Nordstrom said in a statement quoted by ABC News.
“In this case, based on the brand’s performance we’ve decided not to buy it for this season.”
Rosemary K Young, a spokeswoman for the Ivanka Trump company, said the brand continues to expand in all areas, which led to significant revenue growth in 2016.
“We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but the integrity it maintains,” Young said in a statement emailed to dpa.
“The women behind the brand represent a diverse group of professionals and we are proud to say that the Ivanka Trump brand continues to embody the principles upon which it was founded,” she continued.
Branch of high-end Seattle based fashion retailer Nordstrom in Newport Beach, California (File picture – Credit Image: © David Bro/ZUMA Wire)
Nordstrom’s decision follows a grassroots campaign called Grab Your Wallet, which calls for a boycott of retailers that carry Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump merchandise.
Nordstrom responded to a shopper’s request to stop selling the brand in November, saying it hoped that offering a vendor’s products was not “misunderstood as us taking a political position.” The store said it was not intended as such, but it recognized customers could make shopping choices based on personal views.
Ivanka Trump’s fashion enterprise encompasses clothing, handbags, shoes and jewellery. The 35-year-old was criticized following one of her father’s first major interviews on US television in which she and other members of the family were featured.
Soon after the interview aired she advertised an expensive bracelet she wore during the taping by showing a photograph of herself with the jewellery on her wrist. Critics said she had commercialized her new position for personal gain.
Shoppers should still be able to find some Ivanka Trump labels at Nordstrom for the time being because it ordered both shoes and clothing for spring.
–dpa
