Ivanka Trump announces closure of fashion brand

NEW YORK: Ivanka Trump announced the closure of her namesake clothing, footwear and accessories brand, which had become a target of opponents of her father President Donald Trump.

After experiencing a sharp rise in sales in 2016, the brand suffered a backlash after her father took office, and has been dropped by several retail chains.

The 36-year-old Ivanka currently serves as an adviser to her president father, and she has faced criticism about possible conflicts of interest with her business.

“When we first started this brand, no one could have predicted the success that we would achieve,” Ivanka said in a statement.

“After 17 months in Washington, I do 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,” she added.

“So making this decision now is the only fair outcome for my team and partners.”

Last year, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus department stores both dropped her line, citing slow sales after pressure from activists to boycott stores doing business with Trump’s family.

Earlier this month, Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay – whose holdings include US retailers Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor – phased out the brand.