Delikate Rayne: Quality, Cruelty-Free, U.S. Manufactured Fashion Brand

Delikate-Rayne vegan fashion

Delikate Rayne is a great vegan fashion line if you are looking for the perfect leather alternative.

The vegan line is clean with a classic yet edgy feel and the price range is reasonable for the quality that you get. All garments are made in the U.S.A. by a family owned manufacting company that provides an cruelty free, clean and safe working environment for all it’s employees. The brand was started by two sisters, Komie and Kim who have Eastern Indian roots. They believe in quality over quantity, so most products have a limited quantity available, which helps eliminate unnecessary excess waste and lowers carbon emissions. Their goal is to “provide only the highest caliber of animal friendly fashion while foregoing fast fashion practices.”

Here are a few of the peices that caught my eye, but check out more for yourself on their website

 

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Natalie Portman
Sexy Fit Vegan of the Month – June 2015

Natalie Portman Sexy Fit Vegan of the Month June 2015

Introducing the first Sexy Fit Vegan of the month, Natalie Portman!

Introducing our new feature, Sexy Fit Vegan of the Month! There are so many amazing women out there that deserve the recognition for being awesome and to kick things off, I instantly thought of one of my favorite celebrities. June’s Sexy Fit Vegan of the month goes to Natalie Portman, who just happens to be one of my favorite actresses of all time, and who’s birthday is June 9th, the same as Ella’s! Natalie became a vegetarian at 8 years old and fully vegan in 2009. My love of Natalie goes all the way back to a movie she made when she was only 10 years old called, The Professional and then of course the long list of awesome films she’s been in including The Black Swan which is one of my very favorites, which as you probably know she won an Oscar for along with every other award out there in 2010. Clearly she is an amazing actress but I’ve always had so much respect for her and the way she carries herself. She has managed to stay out of the Hollywood BS and lead a successful life. She has an Audrey Hepburn type of style and even though she may not be the most talked about on the red carpet, she ALWAYS nails it.

Here are the reasons why I chose Natalie:

1. She 100% vegan. She’s not only just eats a plant-based diet, she’s an animal activist and doesn’t wear anything “fur, feather or leather”. She has said that all of her shoes come from Target and Stella McCartney and in 2007 she even launched her own vegan footwear brand. 

2. She gives back. Natalie is involved with several different organizations focused on ending child hunger and for years she has traveled all over the world speaking to people and lending her support. She gets involved with the issues she is passionate about and uses her fame in a positive way to encourage our generation to make powerful changes and I love her for that! 

3. She’s incredibly intelligent. Unlike many Hollywood actresses, Natalie has always placed an emphasis on education. She graduated from Harvard in 2003 and continued to study in Israel following. She’s said many times that being smart is more important to her than being an actress, which is another reason she is such a great role model.  

4. She has substance. In interviews and on the red carpet, Natalie always comes across as having an appreciation for her life and a confidence in who she is. She’s carries herself like like a lady, is incredibly sexy and isn’t afraid to smile. While her beauty is undeniable, that’s not the only thing you notice about her. She is not just an actress, she is an inspiring, caring and intriguing human being who is one of the few who uses her celebrity to make a difference in this world. We need more like her out there!! 

natalie portman marie claire

La Isla Swimwear: Sexy & Cruelty Free!

La Isla swimwear is vegan fashion

If you are looking for a new swimsuit for the upcoming summer but want to make sure you are also contributing to a better planet, then I suggest you check out the sexy and cruelty free brand La Isla Swimwear as featured in Sports Illustrated recently.

It has a reputation built on quality and straight up sex appeal! These suits are fire! Makes sense as they are manufactured out of Columbia where sexy girls in sexy swimwear are definitely part of the culture. The facility where the swimsuits are made is cruelty free, uses mostly natural lighting and for the 2015 season they implemented using recycled spandex for many of their suits which is definitely something I like. Additionally they are supporters of Oceans Future Society which is an “organization focused on inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for the protection of the ocean”.  We need a whole lot more of that! Our oceans are so precious. 😉

The average price for a suit runs around $150…they also offer men’s board shorts that are made for “an active lifestyle” offering versatility from the water to the gym.  I noticed they seem to be sold out on quite a few websites I checked out, so if you find one you like, you better go ahead and snag it! 

Here are a few of suits that caught my eye:

 

Cruelty Free brand La Isla Swimwear

 

March Against Monsanto – My First Protest

March Against Montsanto May 23, 2015

“We have been robbed of our own food and the simplicity, nutrition, flavor and enjoyment it is meant to bring us which is why I felt inspired to be a part of the March Against Monsanto yesterday here in Miami.”

Earlier today I was eating an apple…an organic apple of course. An organic apple that I had to pay twice as much for. My heart was heavy as I was trying to enjoy this apple. Something so simple. Something that should be part of the human existence on a daily basis, meant to be enjoyed and a reminder of our amazing planet and how it takes care of us with a wonderful little fruit such as an apple. An apple a day….. Then I thought of a story that I heard growing up about Adam and Eve. As you probably know, Eve took a bite out of an apple in that story and it made me think of what Eve thought of as she took a bite of that apple way back then versus what I was thinking about as I was taking a bite of my apple today.

There would be no similarities in our thoughts  because as I was taking a bite of my apple, I was thinking about the poverty and abuse endured by the farm worker that picked my apple. I thought about how I had to pay double so I could have an apple that didn’t come from a seed that was genetically modified and might give me cancer. I thought about all the farmers who are losing their farms because they can’t keep up with the demands of the corporate giants that are controlling them. I thought about all the bees that are being killed by these genetically modified seeds that are planted with pesticides already in them. I thought about the bugs and weeds that these pesticides are supposed to be killing that are becoming immune and are becoming more aggressive than they even were to begin with. I thought about how Monsanto is dominating the industry so strongly that farmers don’t have the option to get their seeds from anywhere else so therefore the varieties of seeds are shrinking and how many we’ve lost already..in fact we’ve lost at least 92 varieties  that we can never get back! I thought about how our vegetables are being manufactured just like a McDonald’s hamburger, meaning that no matter what grocery store you go to in the entire country, what is sold, how it looks and what it tastes like will be exactly the same because it’s made in a lab for mass production and mass distribution. I thought about how much work my little sister has to put in just to be able to cook her three kids a healthy meal that isn’t full of poison. I thought about how much is sucks that we are trying to educate people to not eat out and cook at home more but that’s not even good enough because of the contamination in our grocery stores.  I thought about how twisted and wrong it is that the companies responsible for all this AND our government are using the one thing we NEED in order to survive for profit.  I thought about how awful all of this is and how they are making it impossible to simply enjoy a meal. I thought how thankful I am to have discovered all of this so that I am no longer living in the dark and can make healthy choices for myself. I thought how many other people out there are just like me and will make the same changes I have. I thought how we have to otherwise the next generations will not even know what an organic apple tastes like.

This is a LOT to think about when simply enjoying an afternoon snack. We have been robbed of our own food and the simplicity, nutrition, flavor and enjoyment it is meant to bring us which is why I felt inspired to be a part of the March Against Monsanto yesterday here in Miami. Since all of this is new to me, I wanted to go because I wanted to see other faces whose eyes were opened like mine and I wanted it become real to me. Watching documentaries has been great but it still can seem like a movie. Yesterday was about bringing everything I’ve been learning into my reality and it was about taking a step to do something about it.

There were about 500 people in attendance which was more than I expected so that made me happy. The energy was great and  it was so nice to see so many others passionate about making positive changes in our world…especially the children. Changes are only going to happen if the demand for healthy food significantly increases and demand for fake food significantly decreases. We have to give these companies no choice which is why it is so important for those of us who are aware to share what we know. We need to tell everyone we encounter because no one wants to be poisoned and destroy our eco-system just to eat an apple. Not anyone I know! A big thank you to the organizers of the march…they did a great job! Let’s keep the momentum going and save our food! Check out the documentary GMO OMG to learn in depth about GMOs and Monsanto.

A big thank you for Ella and her lovely father, Steve for joining me and being a part of my first protest….love you guys!

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Brooks Running Company: Environmentally Conscious & Employee Friendly!

Brooks Running Company Eco-Friendly

Brooks

For any of you who are avid runners such as myself, you may know that it is not easy to find a great running shoe, much less vegan running shoe, that can support the wear and tear hitting the pavement can put on your knees and feet.

Even more challenging is finding a brand that is also environmentally conscious… well I found one! Actually I know this brand well from back in my days of executive recruiting and they are awesome! Brooks Running Company is based in Seattle, Washington and not only are they conscious of the environment but they also treat their employees like gold and invest a lot of time and energy into really creating an exceptional running shoe. There is not another brand that I can think of that focuses specifically on running like Brooks does and their customers are usually loyal for a lifetime! They offer a great variety, with plenty of bold or neutral designs to choose from. They not only sell shoes, but additionally apparel and gear all designed specifically for runners. I am certainly a fan and if you don’t have a brand you love when it comes to running yet, I highly suggest you check them out. They are sold across various retailers all over the U.S. and you can also shop online.

BrooksRunningCompany

Fed Up Documentary Review

Fed Up Documentary

I just watched the documentary “Fed Up” and it PISSED ME OFF, which is exactly why I think it is so great!

The documentary is about why America and other modernized parts of the world are so fat! Way too fat! The statistics are unreal. 2/3’s of Americans are overweight. In 20 years if things don’t change 90-95% of Americans will be overweight. 90-95%!!! Do you know why?? One word…..SUGAR, and the food industry is solely responsible! They have been manipulating and lying just so they can make more money and they are killing people and ruining lives without any concern whatsoever.

The film shows the lives of a few different overweight children and how they are trying to lose weight, which they are unsuccessful with until they finally understand HOW TO EAT. It’s not about a diet. It’s not about exercise. It’s a way of life and a majority of people have NO IDEA how amazing it feels to live it because people are so addicted to sugar and it’s done on purpose. Why? Because the food industry execs want to keep the dollars rolling in, so they hide sugar in everything and anything just to make it more appealing, to make it taste better, to make you want more of it. I was aware that processed foods are terrible but I had no idea how much sugar they are putting in everything, including “health food”. It’s disgusting!

Basically anything that comes in a package is going to make you fat if you are not careful, but why on earth would anyone knowingly put poison into their bodies??? THEY WOULDN’T! That’s why when you look at the nutrition labels on your food, you will notice that they don’t include the daily percentage of sugar per serving. Why?? Well because if you are on a diet and you read the label on a “healthy” item and you see that the daily percentage of sugar for one serving is upwards of 200% then you probably wouldn’t buy it. FOR ONE SERVING. Think about a whole day….this is why people are fat and don’t have any clue how to fix it. They are being poisoned. It’s unfair and I’m pissed about it and I can’t understand how it’s legal!

This film is great and I highly encourage you to watch it! You will probably get pissed too, you definitely will learn something and hopefully you will share what you learn and encourage the people around you to start  educating themselves….especially those of you with children. High five to Katie Couric who is an executive producer and narrator of the film, for a job well done! 

I took this photo yesterday of the nutrition label on my kale… where is the daily percentage of sugar? 

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Moo Shoes: Eco-Friendly Shoes & Bags

Moo-Shoes are Vegan Friendly

Moo Shoes is a vegan retailer with stores in New York City and LA as well as an online cruelty-free boutique.

This vegan company is family owned and they offer a variety of items for both men and women, expanding beyond footwear. They carry more than 30 different brands which are all Eco-friendly, socially and environmentally conscious. I recognized quite a few on the list and from browsing through the site I found a lot of cool stuff I could see myself or my babe rockin! Definitely focused in the comfort/lifestyle category, but an all around nice variety and a great way to discover new vegan brands! Check them out at mooshoes.com.

Here are some items I snagged for you to take a peek at…. 🙂

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Eco-Friendly Swimwear Brand: Jungle Gurl

Jungle-Gurl-Swimwear

I love this eco-friendly swim line by Natalie Golonka: Jungle Gurl… this is what I call vegan fashion! 

Former model turned designer, Natalie Golonka’s swimwear brand, Jungle Gurl is a line where she takes vintage garments and transforms them into stylish and funky bikinis. Sounds like something I would do and I love the suits! They are so cute! She started her brand because she could never find a swimsuit that she liked and what a creative way she chose to do that. The best part is since she uses vintage materials, it means that the suits are one-of-a-kind which I also love. I love knowing that whatever I’m wearing is original and even better knowing there is a history besides coming off the production line at a huge manufacturing company. Everything is better when it’s made with LOVE. : )

You can find her designs in Barneys, Fred Segal and Intermix just to name a few. There is a full list on the website at www.junglegurl.com or even better buy one on line and have it custom made which is totally the route I would take. Love the Hawaiian inspiration and she didn’t leave the boys out so check out what she has for them as well! Way to go Natalie for creating something truly unique. Love it!

May

Vegan and Proud: Meet Julia Veli

Julia Veli Contributor

Hi there… 😉 My name is Julia Veli and I am an artist known for creating fashion and art all from recycled materials, including vinyl records, Julia Veli FashionCD’s, newspaper and baseballs. I also spent seven years as a consultant in the fashion industry specialized in the areas of executive recruiting, fashion show production, buying/selling of end of season fashion inventories and had my own blog focused on the footwear industry. I traveled to trade shows all over the country learning about and working with 100’s of brands, including Prada, Puma, Vince Camuto, Nine West and Crocs just to name a few. I also discovered a lot of really awesome vegan brands as it was just becoming a big trend right before I left the industry to become an artist full-time. So I will be the Sexy Fit Vegan fashion contributor and I’m excited to share with you some cool and unique vegan fashion…including some of my own.

By nature, I have always been environmentally conscious and considered myself to be a healthy eater but as of last week I can proudly say I am officially vegan thanks to Ella! Three years ago when I first met Ella, to me, being vegan was something I never thought I would call myself. EVER! Since I’ve never been a big meat eater anyway and have always loved my veggies, I was happy with my diet and didn’t see a need to change. I’ve had vegan friends in the past who shared their perspective with me and while I respected their views, I just didn’t think it was for me and honestly one of the biggest turn-offs was going to a restaurant with them and watching the server get completely annoyed as they were grilled about the ingredients in everything. I’m not a fussy person when it comes to things like this, so I couldn’t imagine having to be such a pain in the ass. lol…

Well things have changed and over the past 6 months my awareness of what I am putting into my body has increased simply by having been blessedJulia Veli Swimwear to spend time with Ella and being able to observe her lifestyle. I decided to follow her lead and give being vegan a try but would only commit to six days a week. lol… I instantly noticed how I had more energy, my workouts became better and even my moods were better. It made me happy to know that I was putting the most healthy things into my body and I started to think more about the chemicals I was thoughtlessly ingesting  without even realizing the impact they were having on me. Why would I even consider putting chemicals into my body that are unnatural and only used to grow food faster and make it prettier?? That now seems so crazy to me! It really is that simple. So thank goodness Ella came into my life and was able to SHOW me the way to eat in the most healthy and still enjoy food. I haven’t missed out on anything and I really don’t miss any of the food I used to eat although I am sure I will have moments where I would love to smash a slice of pizza, haha…but there are alternatives! I found it interesting that even on my one cheat day, I often didn’t. What finally caused me to go all the way and become fully vegan was last week when Ella encouraged me to watch the documentary “Cowspiracy”. It was perfect timing and I knew as soon as I pressed play that it was going to be a done deal by the time I finished and that is exactly what happened! I had NO IDEA that the agricultural industry was destroying our planet in such an aggressive way. It changed my perspective and instead of vegan being a selfish decision, it became an unselfish decision and one that I am very proud of.

I am truly thankful to Ella and no matter where our lives take us, I will always remember the positive impact she made in my life.  I’m happy to a part of the amazing work she is doing and excited to see the difference we can make together.