Ivanka Trump Stepping Down from her Fashion Line

Amidst criticism of her role in her father’s administration, it seems that Ivanka Trump. The Huffington Post  and Vanity Fair are both reporting that Ivanka is moving on from her fashion line. Ivanka is expected to resign from the officer and director positions she currently holds in the Trump organization in order to avoid conflicts of interests when she steps into a role in the Trump Administration.

Although Ivanka Trump may no longer be “fronting” the brand, it looks like the fashion line that bears her name is expanding.  A search of the US Trademark database reveals that Ivanka Trump LLC filed a trademark application on Dec.  27, 2016 for a line of ” Intimates, namely, women’s intimate apparel, tights and socks, stockings, leggings, lingerie and underwear, bras, panties, shorts and briefs, shapewear, camisoles and tank tops, corsets, chemise, hosiery, undergarments, teddies and sleepwear.”  This looks like a distinct move to expand the Ivanka Trump brand just a few weeks before her father’s inauguration.

This is an interesting move for the Ivanka Trump licensing machine.  Would you buy a competitive shapewear product from Ivanka Trump instead of Spanx? How about a bra from Ivanka Trump instead of bra from say, Vanity Fair or Olga? If the desire is not to profit from the Trump administration, why seek new trademarks for new lines of business?   That’s an interesting business strategy, and very Trump.