As one of young Hollywood’s most respected actresses, Natalie Portman, Academy Award nominated and Golden Globe winning actress, has many accomplishments to her credit: Harvard graduate, humanitarian and style icon. With her premiere collection for Té Casan, footwear designer can now be added to that list.
Why Design a Footwear Collection
Portman, a vegetarian since age 8, noticed the conspicuous lack of animal-friendly footwear in the luxury designer marketplace. Té Casan, well-versed in recognizing and developing new talent, collaborated with Portman for her 100% vegan collection.
“As a vegan, it’s been challenging finding designer shoes made of alternative materials," says Portman. "This collection offers a great selection without compromising quality or style.”
Natalie Portman's Vegan Shoe Styles
Portman's collection is by no means aesthetically innovative, and it's a stretch to call it "high fashion", with most shoes sporting modest heels, imitative styles and silhouettes. Is a round-toed patent Mary Janes and peep toe pumps in four colors unique? No, but they are quite reminiscent of the star's personal style: sweet and petite, with plenty of eye-catching hues of gold, pewter and purple on ballet flats and elegant (if not Sex and the City worthy) evening shoes.
Miss Natalie's line's claim to fame - other than having her as a designer - is its social conscience... Although if one is accustomed to traipsing about formal occasions in Birkenstock or Reef sandals, I suppose you could classify Portman's Té Casan line of vegan footwear to be a major step up... or forward, or somewhere.
Retail prices for the vegan shoes range from for $185-$325, and Portman has pledged to donate 100% of her proceeds to a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental preservation and animal rights.
Are Vegan Shoes Really Eco Chic?
The question you have to ask is this: are vegans more passionate about not using or consuming animal products than they are about protecting the environment? Of course no one should support products which exploit or advocate the abuse of animals, but does being vegan make these shoes green?
If not leather, just what synthetic materials are these shoes made of, anyway? Do the processes involved in the manufacture of these shoes generate toxins harmful to the planet and the creatures upon it? Are the materials durable, long-lasting and biodegradable, or will the shoes end up heaped in a dump somewhere for all of eternity? Is the production of these "socially conscious" shoes free from sweat shop and inequitable labor?
And what is the justification for the ultra high price point? Sure, Portman's name is on them along with the Té Casan brand, but if the intention was to create a socially conscious shoe, why not increase the scope of its impact by pricing the vegan shoe line at a point whereby a broader range of consumers could afford to own them? $225 for an elasticized ballet flat? Come on. Why so much? I mean, they're not even genuine leather!
The starlet's limited edition vegan shoes are available exclusively at Té Casan’s flagship boutique located at 382 West Broadway in New York City and online at Té Casan.
