1. These I Heart Vegan Girls/Boys buttons. Okay so maybe when I went vegan nearly 10 years ago there wasn’t exactly a market for vegan girls as a PREFERENCE and heck, when I went vegetarian at 10 most kids thought I was just weird for it (though hmmm, perhaps that had more to do with my self-cut bangs, handmade slogan tees…?) But that was a lonnnng time ago, as exhibited by existence of said fantastic button, and corresponding “I heart Vegan Boys” button.  Awesomeness with a plastic shell and safety pin back.

2. Quoting fashion reality tv. Okay, I’m not into reality tv of any other sort and I really I hate admitting that I watch this stuff even, but check out these gems of wisdom and tell me you aren’t inspired too? A little? Eh?

Anthony (Project Runway Season 7, episode 10, when Anthony is “kicked off”): “I think what life has taught us is, you don’t have to have the crown to be the queen.” Okay judge if you will but I seriously teared up when I heard this one, maybe it gets you too?   (I’ve just always been so awful at impressing judges and winning competitions… no boo hoo hoo here but hey, this Anthony just really gets me, right, here.)

Then last week. Kelly Cutrone of People’s Revolution (the City) tells Whitney, “Average people love to be average because no one bothers them.” Amen to that! A post along the same lines from my favorite author Seth Godin here.

And I’m pretty sure a couple months back I found the urge to quote ANTM’s special guest Lauren Hutton more often than I’d like to admit… (par memory not ver batim)… when asked by the contestants the secret to a successful modeling career, she said, “I was never the prettiest or the tallest, but the secret to success- in anything really- is to work four times harder than anyone else.”

3. Orange Fudge from Allison’s Gourmet. Fudge. Vegan Fudge. Vegan Fudge with real orange in it. Vegan fudge with real orange in it from the first vegan bakery on the face of this earth! (started 1989- believe it!) This stuff is deck-the-halls-a-dent. Perfect for sharing at parties, though they’ll probably ask you the recipe and you’ll have to admit you didn’t make it yourself. Oh well. At that point you should be on a chocolate endorphin kick so I think you can handle that.

4. Gorgeous famous vegans take over IN STYLE’s MAY ISSUE! Actresses Lea Michele (from GLEE!) and Ginnifer Goodwin (love her!) are two of three stories in IN STYLE Magazine’s article “Meals my mother taught me” (page 325) both with VEGAN MEALS! Yes! 2 out of 3 ain’t bad for a “normal” not vegan/health focused article, yeah? Ginnifer shares a vegan recipe of Gramma’s Bok Choy & Chickn (vegan) Salad and Lea sets it up for a regular & vegan version of her mom’s Vegetable Lasagna Rolls. On newsstands now, check it out!

5. Adorable animal loving postcards & art by my girl Laura at Le Canot Rouge! Not only does she illustrate the most adorable messengers of handwritten notes! but she also shows them the real love with hard core dedication to the environment, from her site: “Le Canot Rouge illustrations are printed on Mohawk Genesis ‘Forest Stewardship Certified’ premium papers, made from 100% post-consumer waste. The paper is also acid-free, lignin-free, process chlorine-free, and manufactured with ‘Green-e Certified’ windpower. And because it is also archival, your print will last and last and last and last.” Talk about walking the talk. Need a foot massage, Laura?

6. Peanut Butter Cups that are to DIE FOR! from Lagusta’s Luscious. Believe me, I’ve tried many a vegan chocolate (and non-vegan back in the day). like the song we used to sing in camp, These are the ones. These are the ones we’ve been waiting for… Classic peanut butter chocolate combo but with the most yummy luxurious ingredients and handcrafted gorgeousness. You’ve waited long enough, go try em!

7. (Anticipatory mention) The New “Green” Chicagoland Restaurant “Prasino” with amazing vegan brunch options! Okay so with there being only a couple of Veg/Vegan places in the suburbs (mainly the one- Borrowed Earth raw restaurant, which I adore! near Tivoli Theater in Downers Grove), I am sooo thrilled to have a new place to try with my rents & Nate out in La Grange called Prasino. Their vegan dinner and lunch options are nearly none, but their brunch menu makes me giddy with several including a Tofu Scram with (veg) Sausage, Garden Skillet (tofu scram instead of eggs), Vegan Eggs Benedict, Autumn Vegan Pecan Pancakes, and Vegan Orange Almond Stuffed French Toast. Phew! Now those are OPTIONS. Stay tuned for a review! And if you try it first-  let me know or I may just have to steal your leftovers!

8. Gorgeous LAUREN KROHN Photography.  Have you heard of this vegan bed and breakfast on the beach with native tiny deer? Well, it sounds like heaven to me, and I discovered it through the takes you there photography of Lauren Krohn. Check out her work here- she donates often to sanctuaries and her love for animals is visually inspiring! Facebook page here with her animals gallery!

9. Tees that tell it like it is. My super talented friends at Sparrow have been working on some adorable Love themed Vegan tees (as Vegan= Love, does it not?) with profits going to my favorite place on Earth, the Farm Sanctuary. Check them out here and others available for the respect/love of all.

10. Old friends in fun places! Took this pic last night of me + my former boss from 9 years ago when we both worked at Express for Men on Michigan Avenue- dancing our way through sweaters and tees and revamping wardrobes. He taught me so much and what’s more is we always had SO much fun!  I had heard his fashion line was poppin’ and last night at the StyleChicago 25 Best Chicago Designers Event I knew I’d run into him. What a treat! This man is and has always been pure joy and a half- heart you, Borris!

okay, I love a lot more things than 10 this month (like this lip gloss!), but this’ll have to do for now! Have a fantastic weekend.

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Our Look Book Shoot (for Fall/Winter 2010) ended up at possibly the happiest place on Earth, I mean, at Lula’s Sweet Apothecary in NYC. I still don’t know what that last word means, but I feel that by keeping myself ignorant, it allows me to imagine it means all of the things that I feel are namelessly magical about this place… Quite the cherry on top for this team of hungry chilly vegans after a long weekend of shooting.

the talented & amazing owner Blythe!

Seriously. These two could not be any cuter.

Triple Vision.

Already living in next season's soy knits. (shhh!)

That Joshua, always in a bad mood.

Another cute one of these two. I swear.

Yay!! Can’t wait to show you the real look book when it’s ready… we mayyy have had too much fun making it for you!

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picking favorites (and they're alll favorites) in Door County

So this past week it might’ve been a little quiet on my side! Spent a little weekend with the fam up in Door County (plus food stops in Milwaukee and Green Bay). 

WISCONSIN DISCOVERIES!

Green Bay- 3 vegan friendly restaurants. 1. Vita Rawstaurant- a raw vegan restaurant that is (sadly) closed on Sundays and Mondays, or else I would have gone!! Yelp! page here. (you know how much I adore yelp!) 2. Kavarna- a vegetarian coffeehouse, the adorable kind! But not many breakfast foods so… we decided on our way from Ann Arbor to Door County, to stop here: 3. the Urban Frog- a co-op with a vegan breakfast wrap and some great fresh juices (I enjoyed the body cleanse- apple, beet, cucumber… so fresh & so clean clean!) It’s super cute in here, and I guess the whole city has city-wide Wi-fi? This came in handy at our time-traveling stop next door…

the Somewhere in Time Antique Shop (in Green Bay)! Let alone being named after one of my all time favorite movies (I remember my dad watching the park scene when I was 5, for my wedding my brother in law transcribed the score for 5 violins for my entrance…. yes yes I really like that movie a LOT), At 159 N Broadway, this puts most resale/antique shops I’ve been to to SHAME with original Betty Grable movie posters, an old working glass bottle soda pop vending machine, and my favorite- a whole corner of vintage cameras!!! (enter excited face here!) I haven’t taken a class (yet) but I do adore photography. And as I can’t afford a fancy camera just yet, I’ve become quite enthralled with how old cameras sometimes allow you to see the world in a different way. That they have their own perspective, their own glasses for you to wear as you see the beauty that was there  20, 50, 100 years ago… Anyway blah-di bah blah you don’t want to hear me blab on but hey! I brought the laptop in and used that town-wide wi-fi to find out which cameras they had that film was still available for, and as it narrowed out the super cool 1950’s expandable and super heavy metal Polaroids (sold for over $100 at the time- how much is that today? a gazillion? ok, a lot. so although no one makes the film for it, you can convert it to take handmade film if you are- um- a camera genius? yeah, not me. hehe.), and decided on a beige and black all metal Revere Eye-matic EE127, from the 1950’s, for $32. Can’t wait to try it. 

whheeee! twirling in the wisconsin state park

DOOR COUNTY (DELIGHT!) So, the final destination (mwa-hahaha) for our trip, let me just say as a vegan girl/guy, you would not come here for the food. ever (fish boil city!). But, suffice to say there are options if you are here for say- the Cherry picking, wine-tasting, lush and never-ending state park, and lovely lovely plays (worth the sunset at intermission alone- come early with sandwiches!). Or if, perhaps, the smell of the town reminded you of your grandma’s house mixed with band camp, yes two of my favorite memories, and those might bring you here alone… TO EAT to survive- Greens & Grains (grocery store and cafe): had a vegan sandwich/wrap or two. Julie’s Cafe: is impressively accommodating for a town of 250 (!!) and will put a veggie chicken patty on pretty much anything on the menu, also has veggie breakfast sausage and an oatmeal breakfast that looked pretty yum. the Village Cafe- has a vegan burger, as well as garden & black bean (vegetarian)- veggie fajita, and a veggie bagel (minus the cream cheese) is “the local favorite.” 

Destroyed by Design- available at Brilliant Stranger in Door County or Online ($18-24)

Wisconsin Shopping Find! ::BRILLIANT STRANGER:: Not tucked away, but hanging out in the midst of all the rest of the cute, mom-and-garden focused Door County shopping is the Brilliant Stranger, a handmade renegade style shop of adorable fashion, jewelry, and resale. I felt right at home as I spotted Christy Robinson “not a nugget” necklaces and copies of How it All Vegan in the literary corner… and bought a Destroyed by Design cupcake bunny necklace for myself. (I haven’t taken it off yet- um, would you? check out the fawn to the left, to the left— the cutest necklaces come in a box to the left!)

Oooo and on the way back I discovered the BEST BEST BEST Pit Stop for vegans heading back to Chicago. The National in Milwaukee. Vegan breakfast burrito and french toast to die for- less than five minutes off the expressway. 

City-mouse has left the country. Over and out.

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::Photo by Rachel Renee:: Vaute Couture Statement Tee Collection (released throughout the Summer)

::Photo by Rachel Renee:: Racerback bird dress of remnant fabrics in collaboration with Julianna Luther, handpainted by Cecca Morrone, with Mohop Shoes, worn by Lauren Lasher

::Photo by Rachel Renee:: 100% Organic Cotton Sustainably Printed in the USA Vaute Couture Statement Tee. Styling by Leanne Hilgart & DezMon Fair. Worn by Lauren McKiddy

::Photo by Rachel Renee:: Winged Romper of Remnant Fabrics, in collaboration with Julianna Luther, handpainted by Cecca Morrone, worn with Mohop Shoes, by Bianca Wyatt (Ford)

::Photo by Rachel Renee:: Bloom dress constructed of remnant fabrics, in collaboration with Jess Audey, handpainted by Cecca Morrone, worn by Kara King (Ford)

::Photo by Rachel Renee:: Winged Romper and Tailed Jacket in collaboration with Julianna Luther, Cream dress in collaboration with Jess Audey. All of remnant fabrics, handpainted by Cecca Morrone. Worn by Bianca Wyatt (Ford) and Katie V (Elite)

::Vaute Couture at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago on June 12th::

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This Vaute Couture-Couture Collection was inspired by Birds & Bloom and constructed of handpainted leftover fabrics from our 8 month fabric R&D and included hemp cotton herringbone, organic cotton sateen, organic cotton sheeting, and others.  Couture Team: Julianna Luther, Jess Audey, Cecca Morrone

Awards. Weddings. Galas. Protests. Made to order handpainted vegan + eco couture pieces are available now for fall events. Email us at Custom@VauteCouture.com. with event at least 6+ weeks before.  Dresses and jackets start at $600, depends on fabric and labor. By availability.

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::PHOTOGRAPHY by Rachel Renee Bowman::Rachel is an overseas editorial addict and fashion and beauty photography in Chicago. Check out more of her work in her online portfolio HERE or click on a picture above. Why? Because she rocks.

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Love those pretty silver laced sandals on Bianca? So do we. Mohop Shoes are a vegan, eco-conscious Chicago collection of versatile sandals you can wear a million ways, designed by Annie, a former architect. Rice husk soles. So many options.  Love x a hundred.

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Join us for this eco luxe event covering beauty/ home/ food/ and yes-fashion!

petal dress, stage 1

Our team  has been creating a couture collection inspired by birds and bloom using the remnant eco-conscious and vegan fabrics from our fabric R&D, with handpaintings by Japanese artist Cecca Morrone, inspired by nature on a microscopic level. Design is a collaboration with dress designer Jess Audey and art-based designer and illustrator Julianna Luther.

Director: Leanne Hilgart Design Team: Julianna Luther, Jess Audey, Cecca Morrone

The Vyne Launch, organized by the SEC of DePaul and Net Impact chapter of Loyola,  includes apps by Wolfgang Puck, drinks by Veev, beauty by Aveda, and new Olafur Eliasson instillations at the MCA. 

::Where:: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago IL

::When:: Friday, June 12th. Doors open 6:30 (After party at LV Penthouse.)

::RSVP:: Buy tickets online now (click here) or at the door for $20. 

If you’re free for drinks, apps, eco-luxe fun,  and a little runway show, we’d love to see you! <3

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Hi there! In case you don’t get our newsletter (well, this has been the first in a few months-I’m slow!) here it is, and head over to our homepage VAUTECOUTURE.com, to not miss the next one

CLICK TO JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE ARTICLE of CHOICE, or just scroll down, it’s all here!!

1. VOTE now through April 23rd, for our fourth color of our RTW F/W09 coats!

2. Animal loving ART E-SHOP Coming Soon to support our R&D, fav nonprofits, + emerging artists!

3. BABY GOT BOUTIQUE. Our flagship space lands in Green Exchange later this year.

4. Leanne Named 20 Under 30 by VegNews Magazine.

5. Fan our BRAND SPANKING NEW FACEBOOK PAGE- K.I.T with events, secrets, updates!

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Knock three times, on the door if you love… animals? fashion? new artists? okay-maybe we won’t have a secret knock (or is that a secret question?), hmm– we’ll see. (and you’ll be the first to know. promise.)  No for real, we’ll just be happy you stopped by. Stopped by where? you ask. Silly me, I’ve gotten ahead of myself. So we’ve been holding this one in for months now, but here goes-

We. Vaute Couture. Have. Joined. Green Exchange. World’s first sustainable (LEED Certified) center of green businesses, opening later this year in home sweet home Chicago- Logan Square Neighborhood.  

When I graduated from undergrad with a degree in Education and Philosophy and realized I wasn’t meant to be a teacher, I had to ask myself- what was it that I absolutely loved to do, like jump for joy would (did) do it for free live breathe love to do? I went back to Junior Year of college- when I started an animal issues group at DePaul called DePaul Voice for the Animals… teams volunteering at Chicago Animal Care, Meatouts on campus, adoptions, protests, speakers, puppies at Senior Homes, humane education for 5th graders.. but it wasn’t just the work that I loved. It was a larger association of groups ours was a part of that had a dozen other organizations on campus all working towards justice and service for Chicago in their own passionate way. This was my heaven. So, when gx asked me if Vaute Couture would want to join in with sustainable creative businesses from all over the city, come into work everyday with inspired people all doing their own thing to help out, create crazy cool national events together, and not to mention the GORGEOUS Leed Certified renovated underwear factory turned State of the Art Center- I had no way to tell my heart no while it shouted YES!

You can read my Green Exchange interview called “VEGAN IN VOGUE” HERE.<–

Chicago may not be heralded as the fashion capital of the world yet, but for the animal kingdom it is. Designer Leanne Hilgart is out to make a groundbreaking fashion statement: you can look breathtaking without the help of animal hides.

Leanne founded Vaute Couture in September to produce runway-quality fashion without using leather, fur, down or even wool. Her first focus is the fashion woe of fabulous animal lovers everywhere and inspired by the Windy City’s longest season- a fabulous winter coat. All of her materials are sourced without a single finger laid upon a single animal. We sat down with Leanne to learn more about her products, her mission and her vegan values…“ YOU CAN READ THE INTERVIEW HERE if ya like.

Visit GREEN EXCHANGE here. Hope you’ll visit!!

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Get ready for a whole LOAD of secrets to be unlocked in the next week or two– our RTW Coat Line is getting the finishing touches. I’ve been working so hard all hibernation winter long, and finally- finally- we’re just about ready to show you.

BUT FIRST. Man, this research is expensive. Finding fabrics that are gorgeous-vegan-eco conscious- warm- have the right drape- and not too pricey and then working with them to create the shape, the movement, the drama we love is like solving the RUBIX CUBE, every day. And so. I decided to start a lil’ fundraiser to raise money to cover some of this research, as well as support emerging artists we love, nonprofits they love, and spread a little positivity in the form of chic art. Why an art shop? Because um, I’m not much for bikini car washes? Okay, because we love emerging artists- but you knew that. 

Our ready to pop ART SHOP.

Opening theme: Animals & Women, Chic as hell.

Have a relationship with animals that can’t be explained? Well, let us try- with original artwork, limited edition prints, and exclusive vaute couture collaborations as well, starting at $12 with 10% donations to the animal org of each artist’s choice.  Each piece is handpicked by us, or created just for us (meaning just for you). Love all around.

When? COMING SOON. so soon.  Including work by Dallas Shaw, Julianna Luther, Laura Michelle Muraco, Hidden Eloise, Jess Gonacha, Angela Keeler (above), and others. Can’t wait to show you. Stay Tuned!

PS. If you know of (or are) an artist who has work that fits this: animals, women, chic…  slip me a note or link to your folio (contact page). The roster will rotate- especially originals- so please, share! XOXO

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stop & smell.

Adorable, mais oui? Brooklyn Designer Sarah Cihat takes secondhand dishware and adds some whimsy. (about $50-60 each)

As the new mom of the most adorable pound pup, Whitman (pics coming soon!), I have discovered a whole new world of fun– dog collars! In my search for something unique, fabulous, but not too pricey, here my friends, is a round up of my favorites… rhinestones and leather, no thanks. I love me so handmade style!

Lucky Fiona on Etsy  Retro handcrafted collars, this one reminds me of tennis. love love. ($15 or so)

PecanPiePuppie’s on Etsy:  How cute is this! Handcrafted sweetness, with removable hand sewn flower. ($20)

and this little plaid baby! (Also from pecan pie puppie’s)

Shop Mimi Green on  Etsy: custom embroidered hunter green velvet collar, for that rugged little boy. ($25)

Aroog Dog: This one is for your punky brewster, just don’t forget her in the grocery store. ($18)

Annie’s Sweat Shop: Eco conscious and they recycle your old collars too! 80’s hearts. ($23)

And my only non-etsy fav: MASCOT! So fresh and so clean clean. ($38 for my love, the sailor knot!)

now begins the search for the perfect sweater to rid whitman of his sniffles.

yes, I’m becoming *that* girl!

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