This new era of cheap chic and disposable fashion has an unlikely but
appreciative customer -- the stylish vegan.
For years, vegans who wanted to stick to a cruelty-free philosophy in
both their diet and fashion meant they often had to sacrifice style.
Jimmy Choo stilettos don't come in synthetic leathers. Louis Vuitton
isn't known for canvas satchels. In fact, only a few high-end
designers -- among the best-known, Stella McCartney -- are conscious
about not using animal products in the shoes, jackets and handbags
they design.
That's a problem for strict vegans, who don't eat anything that's a
byproduct of an animal, including meat, fish, eggs or milk. They also
try to stay clear of shoes, handbags, jackets and belts made of animal
products such as leather, suede, shearling, wool, fur and cashmere.
Now with the rise of cheap chic -- the trendy designer knockoffs that
have been driving sales for stores such as Target, H&M and more
recently Payless -- there are more options than ever for vegans to
find trendy shoes and accessories.
...
Vegans say the changes have made sticking to their beliefs easier.
Stephanie Hodges, a 33-year-old vegan from Chapel Hill, said now she
often finds a vegan option at most national stores she shops at. "A
lot of times you come across something when you're not even looking,"
she said. "I don't feel like there's anywhere that's mainstream where
I can't shop."
Zita Resnais, a 22-year-old from Cary, said her vegan finds these days
are typically by accident.
"There are vegan things all over the place," she said "People who want
to find them, do. If you're a vegan, you want to go that extra step."
The widest selection of vegan shoes and accessories, however, are
found on the Web, local vegans say, including specialty stores such as
alternativeoutfitters.com and mooshoes.com, but also at shoe giants
such as zappos.com, which has a limited selection of vegan shoes for
men, women and children.
...
HERE'S WHERE TRIANGLE VEGANS FIND SHOES
STORES
* Payless
* DSW
* Target
* Whole Foods (most stores)
ONLINE
* www.zappos.com
* www.earthshoes.com
* www.alternativeoutfitters.com
* www.mooshoes.com
* www.veganessentials.com
TALK BACK
You shop vegan? Tell us about your latest find. Or let us know if we
left out a place you know of. Go to share.triangle.com and post your
comment in the vegan fashion forum.
Staff writer Samantha Smith can be reached at 829-4563 or
samantha.smith@newsobserver.com.
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full story: http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/564665.html
