Cruelty-Free Shoes Are In This Spring

It wasn’t just Olga Kurylenko’s natural beauty that turned heads when she walked the red carpet at last night’s Academy Awards in Hollywood. The Ukrainian-born actor stepped out in style in metallic-trimmed black faux-suede evening shoes by celebrated British shoemakers – and frequent PETA collaborators – Beyond Skin, whose handmade vegan and eco-friendly shoes are loved by celebrities such as Natalie Portman and Anne Hathaway.

Meanwhile, here in London, PETA Vegan Fashion Award winner Wills Vegan Shoes launched its first-ever spring collection. London’s vegan movers and shakers attended the launch with company founder Will Green, who said: “I was blown away by the instant success of my winter range. People have taken to us in a huge way. It has been this incredible reaction from our customers that has allowed me to present such a large and diverse collection for spring. I have pulled together such an exciting mix of fashion, styles and colours for the range and it feels terrific to be delivering a collection that is not only on trend, but also completely cruelty-free”.

Will has good reason to be blown away, as both eco-minded celebrities and compassionate people everywhere are turning away from leather. Tanneries are notorious for polluting the surrounding land and water, and tannery workers are often exposed to excessive amounts of deadly chemicals, including arsenic. What’s more, many animals who are killed for their skin endure castration, branding, tail-docking and dehorning – all without any painkillers. At slaughterhouses, many animals are skinned and dismembered while they are still conscious.

The good news is that like Beyond Skin and Wills Vegan Shoes, more and more designers and retailers – including Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Topshop and H&M – are recognising the huge demand for animal-friendly fashions and offering their customers shoes, bags, purses and belts made from modern, high-quality synthetics. The PETA Vegan Fashion Awards highlight some of our favourite products this season.

As both Olga Kurylenko’s fabulous Oscars look with Beyond Skin and Wills Vegan Shoes’ new range proves, it’s easier than ever to find high-quality fashion that doesn’t come at the cost of any animal’s life.

For more information on the leather industry, check out fashion designer Stella McCartney’s shocking exposé, and pledge to wear only your own skin while letting animals keep theirs.