Ivanka Trump's best-selling fashion line is manufactured in China and Vietnam
Exclusive: Not a single Ivanka Trump item at Macy's flagship store was produced in the US
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Your support makes all the difference.One of the people at the Republican National Convention who received praise from all corners was Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
People liked her sharp comments, and admired her stylish line of clothes, which she highlighted during her performances. When she tweeted a link the morning after delivering a speech about how her father would fight for America, the $139 (£106) pink dress she had worn sold out online.
Yet many will be surprised to learn that the vast majority of Ms Trump’s clothes are not manufactured in US, but in China and Vietnam, two countries under the spotlight for human rights abuses and poor labour conditions. Some of the items are labelled simply as “imported”.
An inspection by The Independent of more than 25 different items of Ms Trump’s range at the Macy’s flagship store in New York city, found not a single one was produced in the US. A sales assistant confirmed that no items in the collection were made at home.
A number of commentators have favourably reflected on how Ms Trump used her moment in the spotlight last week in Cleveland to promote her own line of products, which includes clothing, accessories, shoes and fragrances. The day after the speech, she tweeted: “Shop Ivanka’s look from her #RNC speech.”
The dress she wore when she introduced her father as he formally accepted the party’s nomination, called the “Ivanka Trump Sleeveless Studded Sheath Dress”, sells for $138 (£106) and is currently sold out on the site. The dress is also sold out at the department store Nordstrom.
In her speech to introduce her father, Ms Trump said: “To people all over America, I say, when you have my father in your corner, you will never again have to worry about being let down. He will fight for you all the time, all the way, every time."
She added: “I have seen him fight for his family. I have seen him fight for his employees. I have seen him fight for his company. And now, I am seeing him fight for our country. It’s been the story of his life and more recently the spirit of his campaign.”
During his campaign Mr Trump has spoken repeatedly about “bad trade deals” that have seen American jobs go to countries such as Mexico and China. When he was campaigning in Indiana he vowed to tax a producer of air conditioners, Carrier, which had announced it was moving 1,400 jobs from Indianapolis to Mexico.
Likewise, when he learned that the food giant RJR Nabisco had also relocated a factory to Mexico, he said he would stop eating Oreos, despite his love of the chocolate biscuits.
Later, speaking in the battleground state of Ohio in June, he declared: “We’re getting the hell beaten out of us. We’re going to stop. We’re going to bring jobs back to this country.”
Ms Trump, who has three children and who began developing her line of products in 2007, did not immediately respond to questions. Mr Trump’s campaign also did not say whether he approved of his daughter’s decision to produce her clothes in China and Vietnam.
While Mr Trump’s official campaign merchandise is produced in the US, it was reported earlier this year that his own line of clothing, which includes suits and ties, are made in China and Bangladesh.
Her decision to use the election campaign to promote her own products echoed an incident earlier this year when Mr Trump used a speech in March to mention other items manufactured using the Trump brand.
He displayed a table of Trump Winery products, Trump-branded water, Trump magazines, and steaks that he suggested were from his Trump Steak brand even though that was discontinued several years ago.
Harvard Trade and Investment Professor Robert Lawrence said earlier this year he had inspected a total of the 838 Ivanka Trump products that were advertised on the Trump.Com website. He said 628 were said to be imported and 354 were made specifically made in China. Her father’s products were also produced overseas.
“Trump castigates American companies like Apple, Ford, Carrier and Kraft that use their brands to sell goods in the US, but produce them in other countries,” he wrote in a column for PBS. “Yet despite these deep convictions, when it comes to his own businesses, Trump doesn’t exactly walk the walk.”
New York magaxine said Ms Trump's clothing line was manufactured and distributed by G-iii, an apparel group that manages the Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, and Jessica Simpson brands.
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