Eco Shoe Source » Charmone Shoes

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 13:14:45 +0000

I’ve conducted a poll over the last couple years asking people how they plan to commemorate Mother’s Day. Responders include people with large families with several siblings, only children, people whose mothers’ live a distance and some whose mothers are deceased. The common thread among these individuals is that their Mother’s played a very significant role in the shaping of their lives. They view Mother’s Day as an special opportunity to give back to their Mom’s. For me, on Mother’s day, I too reflect on my own unique experiences with my Mother and mother figures who played and continue to play significant roles in shaping me into the woman I am.My mother and these other women are strong, spiritual and sassy. My mother unwittingly, helped mold me into the earth loving shoe diva that I am. As a young girl, with narrow feet, it was a challenge for her to find shoes that fit me. We shopped at specialty shoe stores that were beautifully laid out with a variety lovely shoes. I have very vivid memories of Saturday “shoe outings” to specialty shoe stores to find the perfect shoe with the perfect fit. I recall feeling special. My delight was barely containable when the salesperson brought boxes of shoes for me to try on. I felt as if I was being catered to as the shoes I carefully slipped my foot into shoes. It was such a glorious experience!

In this post, I’ve sourced shoe eco friendly shoes that pay special homage to Mother Earth in their sustainability, use of recycled materials, and custom-oriented designs and fabulously creative women at the helm. These shoes are as lovely as a Mother’s Day bouquet.

Okay if your a subscriber or regular reader you know of my affinity for NeuAura Shoes. NeuAura is simply one of the most exciting eco/vegan shoe companies out there. Each season I am more excited by Arti Upadhyay innovation and soulful designs. The Cypress shoe is typical of what you find with NeuAra, sexy, sustainable, and oooh so womanly. And the fuchsia color is perfect to brighten up your outfit for Mother’s Day brunch.

Neuaura Shoes Cypress - Fuschia

The Hetty Rose shoe experience likens to my childhood. What I feel is special about Hetty Rose is the client participates in choosing the style and fabric for their hand made shoes. Hetty Rose, located in the UK is eco because all shoes are not only made of recycled fabrics, but exquisite vintage Japanese kimono fabrics. What better gift for Mom than a pair of shoes made specifically to fit her? You can create your own special shoe memory with Hetty Rose shoe. I encourage you to visit the site; while there you can view a short film on the making of their shoes. It’s a fascinating process. http://www.hettyrose.co.uk/

Hetty Rose Keep & Love Collection - Sweetheart

Another company known for its luxurious custom vegan shoes is Olsen Haus Shoes. I’ve featured some Olsen Haus shoes before. Olsen Haus is known for their high fashion vegan shoes and creative uses of eco friendly materials such as cork and linen. I love these little wedges that pair linen with a splash of color.

Olsen Haus - Wit Wedge

Charmoné Shoes is a female led design house that aptly strives for harmony with mother earth with their beautiful vegan shoes. Charmoné takes it a step further by donating 5% of all profits to charities that support people, animals and the environment. The first charity slated for donation is Women for Women International, a charity that provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources they need to move from poverty and crisis to stability and self-sufficiency. What a powerful gesture.

Charmoné Shoes Longwing in Warm Burgandy

Happy Mother’s Day to all who are Mother’s, Mother Figures and love Mother Earth!

~Ar

365 Days of Shoes

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:07:17 +0000

This post may be a little late, but some of us busy-nistas are still adjusting to “2010″, besides, it’s never too late for shoes! After wearing my precious toes out from attending holiday parties, two of my annual New Year rituals are my first pedicure and flipping through my new 365 Days of Shoes Calendar. I have been a fan of these Workman Press calendars for years and have them prominently featured in my office. Adapted from the bestselling book, Shoes: A Celebration of Pumps, Sandals, Slippers & More by Linda O’Keeffe, I love that 365 Days of Shoes is packed full of avant-garde, deliciously chic shoes. 365 Days of Shoes brilliantly exhibits an eclectic mix of glamor, deco, classics, and futuristic shoes from the industry’s premier shoe design houses. This year I was so pleased that among the glossy pages of luxury shoe designers as Jimmy Choo, Casadei, Manolo Blahnik, and Stewart Weitzman were some of Eco Shoe Source’s favorite eco friendly designers. Sprinkled throughout the 2010 Calendar was Charmone and Natalie Portman for Te Casan. Charmome’s popular Cinnamon Bordeaux (shown below) makes an impressive debut as the featured shoe in the wall calendar for the month of December.

The 365 Days of Shoes Calendars are available in wall, desk and refrigerator magnets. If you haven’t picked up your calendar for 2010, please visit Workman Press site, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Also, in the spirit of being eco friendly, each year the 365 Days of Shoes Calendar can be saved and recycled as great wall art, used for decoupage projects or decorating your shoe boxes.

What a wonderful Green option in these challenging economic times to start each day with a new pair of shoes by only making one purchase! Happy New Year and More Shoes!

~Ar

5 Fashionable Eco Friendly Ways To Give Back

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:17:02 +0000

Terra Plana Gaia Boots

Charmone Dragonwell

NeuAura Arinos Black Croco

Toms Shoes Glitter

‘Tis the season to give and for many of us it’s gotten a bit harder. I wanted to share some wonderful options of fashionable giving for the conscientious eco shoe aficionados. The great thing about the following is they offer ways of giving no matter what time of year it is.

1. TOMS Shoes has provided shoes to over 300,000 children around the world since the inception of their One for One program. With every pair of TOMS Shoes that are purchased, TOMS gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Many of their comfortable shoes are vegan or made from recycled and local materials and produced under strict “no sweatshop” criteria.

2. It’s a bootie! It’s a shoe! It’s a sling back! I love Neuaura Shoes Arinos Black Croco. This animal friendly shoe versatility is unlimited.

Pair it with a pencil skirt, leggings, wide-leg trousers and beautiful soft bamboo jacket. Neuarua Shoes chooses 2 charities each season to donate 10% of all online sales. For more information check out their

3. From the High Tea Collection, Charmone’s Dragonwell vegan boot will get you over the river, through the woods to wherever you’re headed during the holidays in high eco style. The military inspired embellishments are a great look with skinny jeans. Sustainability and giving at Charmone Shoes starts with manufacturing shoes in sweatshop free environments, thereby providing living wages. 5% of all profits from their shoes are donated to charities that support people, animals and the environment.

4. Don’t just go green, go thigh high with these sexy boots. Kailia Footwear is where sustainability meets sexy Italian styling. Chiara is a handcrafted eco friendly boot that is sure to please for turn heads beyond the holiday. Compassion spurred the launch of Kailia’s sister brand, DoNi- Gift of Love, which exclusively helps numerous non-profit agencies with animal and environmental causes. Impressively, 100% of after-cost profits from on-line sales are donated to those organizations.

5. Saving the one of the best for last, I can’t even begin to describe my excitement when I first found these Terra Plana Gia Boots! The 2007 Ethical Fashion Award Winner never misses details with their shoes and this boot has it all! Whipstitching throughout, wooden heel, and a lining made from recycled memory foam. Talk about lighting up the Kinara or Menora, these veggie tanned boots are that hot! You can even select the detailing patchwork styling for the rear calf. One of the best forms of giving is to your friends; Terra Plana gives you 10% off when friends you recommend make a purchase from their site.

Regardless of how hard times can be, we each possess the power to give of ourselves. The thing about giving is you typically get more back especially when it’s done selflessly. My gift is to motivate you to consider adding fabulous eco shoes and compassionate manufacturers to your giving tree and help change the lives of others, animals and the environment in a fashionable way.

Happy Holidays!!!!

~Ar