Days Before Dropping Ivanka Trump, Nordstrom Sent a Memo on the Muslim Ban

Amid the controversy surrounding President Trump’s executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, many public figures and retailers have taken a stance. For some companies, that’s come in the form of dropping Trump-associated labels and products from their stores.

American chain Nordstrom announced Feb. 3 that it would stop carrying the Ivanka Trump label due to sales performance. In offering details on its decision to stop carrying the clothing and accessories, there was no mention of Trump’s executive order, which is currently blocked.

“We’ve said all along we make buying decisions based on performance,” a Nordstrom spokesperson told MarketWatch. “We’ve got thousands of brands — more than 2,000 offered on the site alone. Reviewing their merit and making edits is part of the regular rhythm of our business. Each year we cut about 10 percent and refresh our assortment with about the same amount. In this case, based on the brand’s performance, we’ve decided not to buy it for this season.”

But the Seattle-based department store chain reportedly issued an internal statement on the impact of the executive order three days before announcing that it would stop carrying Ivanka Trump’s label.

The memo, which was reportedly sent to all employees by the Nordstrom company presidents — brothers Peter, Erik, and Blake Nordstrom — detailed the importance and contribution of immigrants in building the brand.

“When John W. Nordstrom came to the U.S. as an immigrant, he was given opportunities that allowed him to find a more prosperous and happy life. In so many ways, our humble beginning and the work ethic and gratitude that goes with it helped shape the culture of our company to this day,” the memo read, according to Seattle newspaper the Stranger.

The memo also detailed the diverse employee pool of the department store and its impact on the business.

“We currently employ more than 76,000 people who comprise different races, ethnicities and genders,” it read. “We literally have thousands of employees who are first and second generation immigrants. Every one of your unique qualities brings a richness that allows us to better reflect and serve the multi-cultured communities we’re a part of and ultimately makes us a better company. We are a better place with you here, no doubt about it.”

It wrapped up with this: “It’s important that we reiterate our values to all of you and make it clear that we support each of our employees. We will continue to value diversity, inclusion, respect, and kindness … you can count on that.”

Despite Nordstrom’s statement that the drop was simply due to poor performance, it’s clear that the company does not support Trump’s executive order. Even so, the Ivanka Trump label seems to remain optimistic for the future growth of the company.

“The Ivanka Trump brand continues to expand across categories and distribution with increased customer support, leading us to experience significant year-over-year revenue growth in 2016,” Rosemary K. Young, senior director of marketing at Ivanka Trump, told Refinery29. “We believe that the strength of a brand is measured not only by the profits it generates, but the integrity it maintains. The women behind the brand represent a diverse group of professionals and we are proud to say that the Ivanka Trump brand continues to embody the principles upon which it was founded. It is a company built to inspire women with solution-oriented offerings, created to celebrate and service the many aspects of their lives.”

A boycott on products and establishments associated with the Trump family has been growing steadily since November 2016. A marketing professional, Shannon Coulter, started the viral hashtag #GrabYourWallet, calling for people nationwide to ban all Trump products. The movement has picked up, especially due to the controversial nature of Trump’s executive order on immigration, with many urging retailers to drop any Trump-related products. Many took to Twitter to praise Nordstrom for removing the Ivanka Trump label from its stores.

However, others decided not to shop at Nordstrom anymore after the company dropped the Ivanka Trump label.

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