Ivanka Trump’s $145 Worth Sandals Dragged Her to Court in a Millions of Dollar Worth Lawsuit
In 2016, Ivanka Trump found herself facing a major lawsuit from Italian luxury brand Aquazzura over a pair of inexpensive sandals. Aquazzura claimed Trump’s $145 sandals were a copy of their $785 version, sparking a legal battle over intellectual property rights. The lawsuit put Trump’s side hustle as a fashion designer under scrutiny. Though she denied any wrongdoing, the case highlighted the potential pitfalls of mixing business and politics for the daughter of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
How Did the Sandal Design Lead to a Lawsuit For Ivanka Trump?
According to The Things, Aquazzura filed a lawsuit against Ivanka Trump in Manhattan federal court in June 2016. They alleged that Trump’s fashion line had infringed on their popular “Wild Thing” sandal design.
The Aquazzura sandals featured a distinctive tassel tie on the front and retailed for $785. Meanwhile, Trump’s brand was selling a very similar shoe for $145 under the name “Hettie.”
Aquazzura claimed Trump’s cheaper sandals copied key elements of their proprietary design. They sought unspecified damages from Trump’s brand.
“This is a baseless lawsuit aimed at generating publicity,” said Marc Fisher, the company that manufactures Ivanka Trump’s footwear line. “There are similar styles made by several major brands.”
Trump’s legal team disputed the lawsuit, arguing the Hettie sandals merely reflected a popular style trend.
Settlement Ends the Legal Battle
In November 2017, Aquazzura unexpectedly dropped the lawsuit against Ivanka Trump. According to reports, the two sides agreed to an undisclosed settlement outside of court.
The terms of the resolution were not made public. However, legal experts speculated that Trump likely agreed to cease production of the allegedly infringing Hettie sandals.
For Trump, settling allowed her to avoid a prolonged legal fight. For Aquazzura, dropping the lawsuit prevented their claims from being rejected by a judge in court.
Ivanka Trump continued selling other footwear designs through her fashion brands. However, the controversy highlighted the risks of copying other designers as a business tactic.
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Political Tensions Lead to Another Lawsuit
Shortly after resolving the sandal lawsuit, the first daughter’s clothing company became the target of another legal complaint. In 2017, fashion retailer Modern Appealing Clothing sued Ivanka Trump’s business for unfair competition. They claimed she had an “unfair advantage” due to her father’s position as U.S. president.
Modern Appealing Clothing alleged Trump exploited “the power and prestige of the White House” to boost sales of her own apparel line. They said this violated federal and state competition laws.
That lawsuit was also settled privately out of court. But it reflected growing unease about mixing Ivanka Trump’s business interests with her political profile as a presidential adviser.
The sandal and unfair competition lawsuits underscored the complicated entanglements that can arise when a president’s daughter is also a fashion mogul. For Ivanka Trump, low-priced imitation designs led to some high-stakes legal consequences before eventual settlements freed her from court.
