Ivanka Trump pulls plug on fashion venture

President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, is closing down her namesake fashion brand.

She launched this in 2014, but, after her father's election victory, formally separated herself from the company and entered the White House as a senior advisor.

Trump, who had been faced with shopper boycotts, said she did not know "when or if I will ever return to the business…But I do know that my focus for the foreseeable future will be the work I am doing here in Washington, so making this decision now is the only fair outcome for my team and partners.”

She added: "I am beyond grateful for the work of our incredible team who has inspired so many women; eachother and myself included. While we will not continue our mission together, I know that each of them will thrive in their next chapter.”

“Trump was always closely associated with the brand but her current responsibilities mean she has had to take a back seat,” says Neil Saunders, Managing Director at GlobalData Retail. “This lack of control is likely uncomfortable when the label bears her name and is largely seen as an extension of her personal brand. The close association is also the reason for the various political challenges. Views on the brand have become highly polarised and it has become a lightning rod for protests and boycotts. While the company is still viable, doing business has become far more challenging and these problems will only increase.”

However, while the brand will disappear in the short-term, the copyrights and intellectual property will be retained. This means a future relaunch is possible, Saunders believes.