Apparently I'm not the only one who noticed just how poor the vegan shoe selection is. Why does it have to be difficult to find mindfully made, stylish shoes? While most of us are not in a position to solve the problem except through how we spend, fortunately there are fashion designers out there who have the creative energy and design experience to do something about it and help out the rest of us! Gina Ferraraccio is one of these designers. This Nolita designer launched Cri de Coeur, a vegan fashion shoe brand, in 2007. She has been a vegetarian for 12 years, and, after attending Parsons School of Design and working in various parts of the fashion industry, her concept of a trendy, vegan shoe line was born. Rather than trade off style for her personal philosophies, and to finally put to rest conflicted feelings associated with wearing leather, she created and launched her brand.
Given recent consumer interest in eco-friendly fashion and her long-time commitment to the environment, Gina focuses on using only eco-friendly vegan materials in her shoes. Suede microfiber, canvas, chambray and rubber composite are just some of the materials she uses. Cri de Coeur also purchases to carbon credits to offset its carbon footprint and sponsors reforestation, planting a tree with the purchase of every shoe.
Not only has Fagiolina been posting about Gina and Cri de Coeur for the past couple of months, but Elle, Lucky, InStyle, Marie Claire and Daily Candy have all given props for the designer's hot styles and vegan ethic.
However, Gina's clear that her shoes are not just for vegans--they're for anyone who wants to wear a fashionable shoe. Listen to Gina talk about her shoes here and read an interview with Gina here.
Now, come on, I know that really all you want to do is buy the shoes!
To sign up for the newsletter, find a listing of local stores that sell the line and stay up on the latest collections: www.cri-de-coeur.com
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