Ivanka Trump Sued By San Francisco Clothing Company That Wants Her Brand Banned
Ivanka Trump is being sued by a San Francisco clothing company. Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC) just filed a class action lawsuit claiming Ivanka is using her notoriety as President Donald Trump’s daughter to increase sales for her brand. The California clothing company claims her first family status gives Ivanka an unfair advantage in the marketplace.
The internationally known Modern Appealing Clothing company is seeking a restraining order against Ivanka Trump Marks LLC. If the order is granted, Ivanka’s brand will no longer be permitted to be sold in California, the Daily Mail reports.
Internationally known SF boutique Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC) brings suit against #IvankaTrump fashion label. https://t.co/aIseVs4Wfm
— Tony Bravo (@TonyBravoSF) March 20, 2017
The San Francisco clothing company’s lawsuit was filed on March 16. The class action legal filing claims President Trump’s daughter is “exploiting the power and prestige of the White House for personal gain, including, but not limited to, piggy-backing promotion of defendant Ivanka Trump products on appearances at executive branch and other governmental events.”
Ivanka Trump transferred her clothing and accessories company into a trust after Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election and took the oath of office, Fortune notes.
After the California clothing company posted an announcement about the Ivanka Trump lawsuit on its MAC Facebook page, backlash almost immediately ensued. Negative comments on the clothing in MAC’s new spring line now dot their social media page. The lawsuit notice appears to have now been removed from the Facebook page.
No similar lawsuit was filed when former First Lady Michelle Obama was given gowns to wear at events by designers eager to garner the notoriety which comes from having the president’s wife wear one of their creations.
The San Francisco clothing company’s lawsuit also cited comments previously made by President Trump’s top adviser, Kellyanne Conway. The filing noted Conway urged Americans to buy items from Ivanka Trump’s line during a television interview. Her remarks came after anti-Trump activists announced a boycott of Ivanka’s clothing and accessories brand in an attempt to bankrupt the company after her father won the presidential race.
Ivanka Trump company is sued, accused of unfairly profiting from White House https://t.co/zF6pP90WDV
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) March 21, 2017
The MAC lawsuit claims the recent boost in Ivanka Trump brand directly coincides with Donald Trump winning the presidential race and Kellyane Conway’s comments. Nordstrom dropped the first daughter’s brand amid backlash by anti-Trump activists shortly after the inauguration. Sears, Kmart, and Neiman Marcus soon followed suit and dropped the Ivanka Trump line from their stores as well. After Conway called for Trump supporters to “go buy Ivanka stuff” on live television, sales reportedly increased 346 percent between January and February — compared to the same time frame from 2016.
The MAC class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of women’s clothing and accessories retailers in the entire state of California. It remains unclear if any other clothing company or designer is actively engaged in the Ivanka Trump lawsuit. The legal filing by the San Francisco clothing store is seeking unspecified damages in addition to banning the first daughter’s company from operating in California.
Should such a restraining order be granted, it also remains unclear if women in the state who want to buy Trump’s clothing and accessories, could still do so online and have their packages shipped to them at their California address.
Some social media posters have stated the entire lawsuit will not prevail and is nothing more than a publicity stunt by the Modern Appealing Clothing company.
What do you think about the attempt to ban Ivanka Trump clothing from California and the class action lawsuit in general?
[Featured Image by Albert H. Teich/Shutterstock]
