Vegan Fashion | Ecouterre

Vegan Style

7 Eco-Friendly (And Mostly Vegan!) Winter Boots to Conquer Snow, Slush

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 01/21/12

Vegan Style

Lina Hanson’s Global Face Serum Uses All Natural, Organic Ingredients

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 01/16/12

If there’s one person we’d trust unreservedly with our punim, it’s Lina Hanson, green makeup artist to the stars and Ecouterre’s resident beauty guru. It’s not a question of nepotism, either. Her clientele, which includes actresses Morena Baccarin and Ellen Page, speaks for itself. (Have you seen the glows on those complexions?) So you can bet your sweet cheeks we were sold on her face serum even before she made the pitch. Crafted using organic, vegan, and fair-trade ingredients such as camellia, pumpkin seed, and baobab, her 100 percent natural oil targets dry skin, soothes redness and inflammation (even rosacea), and softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles—all without petrochemicals, parabens, or suspicious synthetics. Needless to say, nothing is tested on animals. Hanson, like the rest of us, likes to keep it clean.

+ Global Face Serum $85
+ Lina Hanson

PETA, Nail Couture L.A. Collaborate on Bunny-Patterned Nail Wraps

Give your fingertips a cruelty-free makeover with a set of easy-to-apply “nail skins” by Nail Couture L.A, designed exclusively for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Featuring the group’s signature bunny motif in a whimsical black-and-gray houndstooth pattern, the limited-edition wraps eschew toxic chemicals like …

Love is Mighty’s Eco-Chic Vegan Shoes Honor India’s Tribal Traditions

18 Vegan Shoe Brands That Are Eco-Friendly and Ethical, to Boot

BEYOND SKIN
Based in Brighton in the United Kingdom, Beyond Skin creates its faux-suede footwear using a microfiber called Dinamica, which is made in Italy from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

+ Beyond Skin…

John Bartlett Thinks Cruelty-Free Fashion is Going to the Dogs (Literally!)

John Bartlett is a New York fashion designer with not one but two Council of Fashion Designers of America awards under his belt, along with such titles as Swarovski Best Newcomer and the American Apparel and Footwear Association Designer of the Year. Equally known for his love of animals and yen for classic American sportswear, Bartlett has worked alongside animal-rights organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and the North Shore Animal League to spread awareness about the welfare of our critter pals. We recently caught up with the designer to talk about the looks he showcased at the Healthy Food in Fashion fall gala, why he chose to embrace vegan fashion, and his new “Tiny Tim” collection, a series of comfy basics for men, women, and children that donates 10 percent of each sale to helping shelter dogs like Bartlett’s three-legged best friend (and the line’s namesake).

Russell Simmons Chats About “Argyleculture,” His New Cruelty-Free Brand, at “Healthy Food in Fashion” Gala

Most people know hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons as the founder of Def Jam Records, Phat Farm, and American Classics, but fewer realize that he’s also a practicing vegan of 13 years and an outspoken animal-rights activist. We chatted with Simmons at the “Healthy Food in Fashion” fall gala to learn more about Argyleculture, his new cruelty-free clothing line for Macy’s, why sustainable fashion makes good business sense, and what advice he’d give to anyone struggling with vegetarianism.

“Healthy Food in Fashion” Gala Raises Funds to Feed NYC Schoolchildren

VPL’s Victoria Bartlett Dishes on Cruelty-Free Fashion, Vegan Food at “Healthy Food in Fashion” Gala

Food and fashion joined forces at the NY Coalition for Healthy School Food’s “Healthy Food in Fashion” fall gala on Wednesday night, and Ecouterre was on the scene scoping out the hottest designs from the night’s vegan fashion show. We chatted with VPL designer Victoria Bartlett, who has been practicing and preaching cruelty-free fashion since the early days of her career. We also received the inside scoop on why animal products are verboten in her clothes, the significance of using human hair as accessories, and her favorite meat-free recipe.

Join Us Tonight for the “Healthy Food In Fashion” Gala to Benefit NYC’s Youth

Come out in style for a healthy cause on Wednesday, October 12, as the NY Coalition for Healthy School Food throws its annual “Healthy Food in Fashion” fall gala. Hosted by radio personality Robin Quivers, the event will feature vegan treats from 24 vendors, along with cruelty-free styles from the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Heather Mills, VPL by Victoria Bartlett, John Bartlett, Novacas for Brave GentleMan, Thieves by Sonja den Elzen, Olsenhaus, Angelrox, Cri de Coeur, DLC Brooklyn, Vaute Couture, GUNAS, and Study NY by Tara St. James.

VPL’s Human-Hair Accessories Have No Need for Dead Animals

Photos by Brennan Cavanaugh for Pinnacle

Hair today…gone tomorrow. That’s how we typically think of our own hair, right? It grows, it sheds, we cut it, and then it more or less becomes “waste.” To challenge that notion, VPL designer Victoria Bartlett whipped up a set of follicularly blessed accessories for the latest issue of Pinnacle, an anti-fur magazine founded by Discerning Brute blogger Joshua Katcher. This wasn’t Bartlett’s first foray with human hair, either. She’s previously designed a series of sweaters knit from human hair.

Puma Introduces “Re-Suede” Vegan Sneaker Made With Recycled Materials

For a shoe that was issued in 1968, Puma’s classic suede sneaker has aged remarkably well. That’s not to say it couldn’t benefit from a more contemporary veneer, of course. The “Re-Suede,” which debuted on Friday, is a retooled version that comprises 100 percent recycled materials and a new outsole derived from rice husks. Compared with virgin materials, the synthetic Ultrasuede upper is said to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 80 percent. The Double R Rice Rubber outsole, which substitutes a portion of the latex content with a rice-husk filler, also saves fossil-fuel energy in manufacturing and agricultural resources, according to Puma.

7 Cruelty-Free Accessories From Compassion Couture’s Vegan Boutique

7 Eco-Friendly (and Vegan!) Alternatives to Animal Leather

Gucci Goes Leather-Free With Patent Rubber Men’s Moccasin

Gucci may be known for luxe textiles and flashy cuts, but the Italian fashion house’s latest offering negotiates waterlogged sidewalks as well as it does the catwalk. The patent rubber moc, a modern update of the company’s classic bit loafer, eschews leather in favor of durable (and vegan!) rubber, making it the perfect shoe to pull on once summer flies the …

Brave GentleMan Offers Organic-Cotton Ties for the Discerning Vegan

For neckwear-lovers who want to cut the world’s sheep a much-needed break, Brave GentleMan’s new range of 100 percent vegan ties is is the boon you seek. Despite their speckled, tweedy texture, each neck- and bow tie is constructed from a blend of organic cotton and recycled hemp, then stiffened with interfacing derived from recycled plastic bottles—a manufacturing first for …

Free People Launches Vegan Leather Collection for Animal Lovers

Go Leather-Free With Cliff’s Reversible Cork Belts

Going cruelty-free doesn’t have to be limiting. In fact, vegan alternatives can open up a whole universe of textures and possibilities Take Cliff’s cork belts, for instance. Lighter than leather and more interesting to look at, each handmade (and machine-washable!) belt distresses beautifully over time, just like the real thing. Cliff harvests the cork—don’t worry, it grows back—then laminates …

7 Sizzling Vegan Sandals For Summer

Collina Strada, KAIGHT Team Up on Biker-Chic Vegan Bags

Blogger Joshua Katcher, Novacas Launch Vegan Men’s Shoes

With its rugged, slicked-back aesthetic and stoic self-assuredness, the Novacas for Brave GentleMan shoe collection underscores one indubitable fact: It’s never been manlier to be vegan. A collaboration between blogger Joshua Katcher of The Discerning Brute and the Portugal-based vegan footwear label, the faux-leather boots and oxfords are exclusive to Brave GentleMan, Katcher’s newly launched online store.

Devo, Macbeth Collaborate on Vegan Shoes, Complete With Helmet Logo

Shoemaker Macbeth and 80′s throwback band Devo have joined forces to “whip” up one of the coolest vegan shoe lines of the summer. The launch of the eye-popping, animal-free footwear dovetails with the release of Devo’s comeback album, Something for Everybody; its new digital EP, “What We Do;” and the band’s upcoming North American tour. Available for pre-order, the unisex shoe consists of 3M’s reflective uppers and fluorescent outsoles. Devo-lutionaries will also receive a free, exclusive download of “Don’t Shoot (Polysics remix)” when they purchase from the DEVO store.

Paper No. 9′s Faux-Leather Accessories Are Made of Cardboard, Not Cows

The Model Citizens show during New York Design Week unearthed another gem: Paper No.9, a Brooklyn company that designs stylish, cruelty-free bags and accessories. At first glance, its wares resemble well-worn shearling leather, but close inspection reveals their true origin: paper. By treating recycled shipping cardboard with natural oils, heat, and a good …

Pansy Maiden Introduces Flirty Bags, Clutches Made From Vegan Suede

Don’t be fooled by Pansy Maiden’s delicate moniker. When it comes to standing up for animal rights, the handbag-maker is certainly no wilting wallflower. The Massachusetts-based company has launched a line of flirty, feminine clutches, totes, and purses made from 100 percent cruelty-free ultrasuede. Derived from 80 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, the bags are so crisp and supple, you won’t miss real leather or suede for a second.

Singer Katy Perry Launches “Candyfornia,” a Line of Edible (And Vegan!) Cupcake Bras

They don’t squirt five-foot streams of icing, but that won’t stop Katy Perry from unleashing her line of edible cupcake bras onto the world. Inspired by her “California Gurls” music video, which plunged the singer into a Candyland-esque world of fluffy cotton-candy clouds and bird-flipping Gummi bears, the “Candyfornia” collection is set to send blood-sugar levels skyrocketing in time for summer. (Be still our areolae!) If you can get past the caloric count, you can take at least some heart: The goodies are vegan, gluten-free, and organic.