The boycott of Ivanka Trump’s brand, #GrabYourWallet, is gaining traction on social media, but thus far, it appears that 2016 politics have not impacted her highly profitable collection of clothing, jewelry, shoes, and handbags.
Sales of Ivanka Trump-branded clothing have actually gone up since her father became a presidential nominee. In September, G-III Apparel Group, which manufactures Ivanka’s clothing line, reported that sales to retailers increased by $11.8 million in the first six months of 2016. Sales revenue from her clothing line exceeded $100 million last year, and reports indicate continued growth is expected this year.
“Over the past year many more women have discovered and become loyal to the brand, leading us to experience a significant year over year revenue growth,” Abigail Klem, chief brand officer, told the Daily Caller.
The Ivanka boycott, led by tech and media marketing specialist Shannon Coulter, was launched after the release of the now-infamous Access Hollywood tape earlier this month. Coulter is targeting Ivanka because she has continued to support her father since the release of the tape, in which he bragged about groping women without consent.
According to Cosmopolitan, the sight of an Ivanka Trump blouse at T.J. Maxx was enough to trigger “traumatic flashbacks” for one woman who has since joined Coulter’s campaign.
Coulter said it’s not enough to just boycott Ivanka’s products, and is telling women to completely avoid all stores that sell them.
The list of retailers who carry Ivanka Trump products includes: Amazon.com, Zappos, Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Dillard’s DSW, Macy’s, Marshall’s, and Saks Off Fifth.
Coulter told Cosmo that before the tape’s release women were “ready to give Ivanka a pass,” but not anymore. After two weeks of silence, Ivanka called her father’s comments “inappropriate and offensive,” but also implied that his apology was sufficient.
“I think [women] took particular offense, as I did, to the fact that Ivanka tries to make feminism a part of her brand but is standing by, as an official campaign surrogate, a guy who is an alleged serial sexual assaulter of women,” Coulter said. “The disconnect was too big. And they were ready to speak up about it and flex their consumer power about it.”
The whole idea behind Ivanka’s brand is “Women Who Work,” including her clothing line of office appropriate fashion and her website that offers professional development tips for women like, “How to Get Promoted” and “5 Tips for Mixing Work and Family.” She also has a book coming out this spring titled, “Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success.” Aside from her work on a child care tax deduction, she has largely steered clear of policy discussion throughout her father’s campaign.
In a recent profile in the New Yorker Ivanka disputed the notion that she is a ‘surrogate’ of the campaign. “I’m a daughter,” she said. “I don’t express my views on policy, with one exception.”
