Ivanka Trump announces closure of fashion brand
AFP/File / SAUL LOEBIvanka Trump -- who serves as an adviser to her father, President Donald Trump -- says she wants to focus on her work in Washington, not the fashion business
Ivanka Trump announced Tuesday that she was closing her eponymous fashion brand, following a firestorm of criticism about potential conflicts of interests and flagging sales fueled by a political backlash.
The 36-year-old, who has been frequently photographed wearing shoes from her namesake label, stepped away from the company to work in the White House as an advisor to her father, President Donald Trump, but continued to profit from the label.
While the clothing, footwear and accessories brand experienced a surge in sales in 2016, the year that Trump won the presidency, it suffered a backlash after he took office, and had been axed by a growing number of retail chains.
As first daughter, she has travelled overseas representing the United States, attended meetings with visiting heads of state and travelled domestically, fueling speculation that she may harbor future political ambitions of her own.
"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 said in a statement.
"So making this decision now is the only fair outcome for my team and partners," she added.
"I know that each of them will thrive in their next chapter."
US watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington offered lukewarm approval and called on the Trump family to divest from all assets, saying they should have done so before entering the White House.
"While this is a notable step in the right direction, it's a small one that comes much too late," said CREW executive director Noah Bookbinder.
GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / Drew AngererWhile the Ivanka Trump clothing, footwear and accessories brand experienced a surge in sales in 2016, the year that her father won the presidency, the label suffered a backlash after he took office, and had been axed by several retail chains
Reports that the brand would file for new trademarks "raises questions as to how serious this 'shut down' really is and whether the brand will continue to create conflicts of interest," he added.
Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, said she knew that the decision had been a "very difficult" for the first daughter.
The label's 18 employees were informed Tuesday that the business was ending, US media reported.
- China trademarks -
The mother-of-three, who is unpaid for her White House work, made at least $82 million last year with husband Jared Kushner, a fellow Trump advisor.
The former model launched a jewelry line in 2007, before branching out into mid-level priced shoes, handbags and ultimately clothes.
She pitched the label as a mid-priced fashion and lifestyle company, geared towards working women, which was stocked by US department stores such as Macy's, T.J. Maxx, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.
In 2016, the year that she hit the campaign trail hard on her father's behalf, the company expanded into denim, activewear and baby bedding.
In January 2017 she announced that she was stepping down from the family real estate firm, The Trump Organization, and from actively managing her brand, which was placed into a trust.
GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File / Drew AngererIvanka Trump, who is a former model, launched a jewelry line in 2007, before branching out into shoes, handbags and ultimately clothes.
But the brand was thrust into a major backlash fueled by opposition to the Trump administration and calls for a boycott on those doing business with the first family.
Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus dropped her line, citing slow sales.
Earlier this month, Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay -- whose holdings include US retailers Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor -- phased out the brand.
Although Ivanka named Klem president of the label, criticism about conflicts of interest refused to die.
CREW first revealed in May that the brand had been granted five business trademarks in China, just days before the US president suddenly scrapped a US technology ban imposed on Chinese telecom firm ZTE.
In 2017, the label ended talks on a distribution deal with Sanei International in Japan, which insiders attributed to ethics recommendations and an attempt to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest.
In February 2017, Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway plugged the brand in a television interview, urging shoppers to "go buy Ivanka's stuff" -- and then earning a sharp rebuke from ethics officials.
The president had hit out at Nordstrom when it dropped the label, saying on Twitter: "My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!"
Greece in mourning as horrifying wildfires kill 74
AFP / VALERIE GACHEMore than 300 firefighters, five aircraft and two helicopters have been mobilised to fight the fires in Greece
Greece was in mourning Tuesday following some of the worst wildfires this century, with fears the toll -- at least 74 dead and 187 injured so far -- could rise, as rescuers search for people trapped in their homes or burned-out cars.
The fires, which broke out on Monday afternoon, devoured homes and forests, forcing terrified residents to flea into the sea for safety, while pine forests were reduced to ash and charred cars lined the smoke-filled streets of seaside towns near Athens.
"Today, Greece is in mourning," said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who cut short a visit to Bosnia and announced three days of national mourning.
Greek media described the disaster as a "national tragedy".
The government has not yet said how many people were regarded as missing.
But the death toll could surpass that from the blazes which hit Greece's southern island of Evia in 2007 in which 77 people perished.
Out of a total 187 people hospitalised, 82 including almost a dozen children were still being treated on Tuesday evening, 10 of whom were in "serious condition", the fire services said.
One Belgian was among the victims, said Belgium's foreign minister Didier Reynders, while in Warsaw Poland's government said a Polish woman and her son also died.
AFP / ANGELOS TZORTZINISA firefighting helicopter flies over a wildfire raging in the town of Rafina near Athens, on July 23, 2018
Dozens of people were overtaken by the flames in their homes, on foot or in their cars. AFP photographers saw the burnt bodies of humans and dogs.
The charred bodies of 26 people, including small children, were discovered at a villa at the seaside resort of Mati, 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Athens, said rescuer Vassilis Andriopoulos.
They were huddled together in small groups, "perhaps families, friends or strangers, entwined in a last attempt to protect themselves as they tried to reach the sea", he said.
As world leaders including Pope Francis affirmed their solidarity, Athens said 308 engineers will arrive on site by Wednesday to assess the damage.
But "the problem is what is still hidden under the ashes," said Vice President of Emergency Services Miltiadis Mylonas.
Dramatic video footage showed people fleeing by car as the tourist-friendly Attica region declared a state of emergency.
"I saw the fire move down the hill at around 6:00 pm and five or ten minutes later it was in my garden," said 60-year-old Athanasia Oktapodi.
Her home is surrounded by dry pine trees.
"They caught fire. I ran out like a crazy person, got to the beach and put my head in the water. Then the patrol boats came."
- Resort 'no longer exists' -
Fire service spokeswoman Stavroula Maliri said firefighters were still searching for more victims and taking "dozens of calls" from people looking for relatives, she said.
AFP / John SAEKIA map showing the areas affected by deadly fires in Greece
Winds of above 100 kilometres per hour (60 mph) in Mati caused a "sudden progression of fire" through the village, said Maliri.
"Mati no longer exists," said the mayor of nearby Rafina, Evangelos Bournous, adding that more than a thousand buildings and 300 cars had been damaged.
"I saw the flames outside the window of our hotel. I thought it would explode," said Alina Marzin, a 20-year-old German tourist who had been staying at the Capo Verde hotel in Mati on Monday evening with her brother and their parents.
At least six people died trying to escape the flames into the sea. Some 715 people were evacuated by boats to Rafina, the government said.
"People are shocked, lost. Some of them have lost everything: children, parents, homes," said Red Cross spokeswoman Georgia Trisbioti.
AFP / ANGELOS TZORTZINISLocals watch as a wildfire tears through the port town of Rafina, one of the worse affected areas near Athens
The European Union activated its Civil Protection Mechanism after Greece sought help. Several countries said they were sending aircraft to help fight the flames.
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker tweeted the EU "will spare no effort to help Greece and the Greek people", while Pope Francis spoke of his "deep sadness," sentiments echoed by EU and NATO leaders.
NATO head Jens Stoltenberg offered the alliance's full solidarity with Greece, whose government earmarked financial aid for victims' relatives.
- 40-degree heat -
AFP / ANGELOS TZORTZINISThe fire left lines of charred cars in Mati
Interior Minister Panos Skourletis said the priority was to extinguish a fire still burning in Kineta, 50 kilometers from Athens.
Near the town of Marathon, residents fled to safety along the beach, while 600 children were evacuated from holiday camps.
Officials raised the possibility the blazes could have been started deliberately by criminals out to ransack abandoned homes.
"I am really concerned by the parallel outbreak of these fires," Tsipras said as supreme court prosecutors announced they had opened an investigation into the causes of the fire.
Showers were set to see temperatures around Athens drop slightly after hitting 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Fires across Europe -
TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP/File / Mats ANDERSSONThere have been 27 fires across Sweden, which is experiencing an unprecedented drought and the highest temperatures in a century
Wildfires have also caused widespread damage in northern Europe in recent days.
Sweden, experiencing an unprecedented drought and the highest temperatures in a century, has counted more than 20 fires across the country.
Fires have also hit Finland's northernmost Lapland province.
Norway, which experienced its hottest May temperatures on record, has seen several small fires. One firefighter was killed on July 15 trying to contain a blaze.
Fires have raged for five days in Latvia, destroying more than 1,000 hectares in the Baltic state.
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