Caring Companies: Expensive Elegance from fur-free designers

Hi all!

Sorry it's been a while since my last post - I had a long weekend away shopping (which gave me some great ideas for blog posts which will be upcoming shortly) but unfortunately when I got back I was struck with a bad stomach virus - no doubt from travelling - and have been pretty much out of commission since. I still am bed-ridden, but you can always type on a laptop in bed!

So while away one of the main malls we went to is the Dolphin Mall in Miami, a fantastic outlet mall where bargains are rife. However, heading into the Saks outlet store (Off 5th Avenue) I realised that with department stores and other retailers that sell multiple brands, it's important to go in armed with your list of safe designers, otherwise you'll easily get distracted - there are so many brands under one roof. In general I try to discourage department store shopping because they do, ultimately, sell fur and brands that incorporate fur because they sell so many brands. But, if you do need to shop at them, just make sure you make guiltless decisions by ignoring products made by designers who can't seem to distance cruelty from glamour (attention chief offender: Michael Kors, who is the reason I don't watch Project Runway anymore).

The designers listed below (their names are linked to their own websites) are all cruelty-free, so click away for guiltless glamour galore!

You don't have to be cruel to be kind,

GiGi

Ashley Paige
Ashley Watson
Bahar Shahpar
BCBG Max Azria group
BCBGeneration (part of the BCBG Max Azria group)
Benjamin Cho
Betsey Johnson
Calvin Klein
Charlotte Ronson
Cole Haan
Ed Hardy
Eddie Bauer
Gary Harvey
Guess?
Henri Bendel
Herve Leger (part of the BCBG Max Azria group)
Jay McCarroll
John Varvatos
Juicy Couture
Karen Walker
Katharine Hamnett
Kenneth Cole
Lara Miller
Lauren Conrad
Leanne Marshall (Project Runway season 5 winner - clearly did not emulate judge Michael Kors, thankfully!)
Linda Loudermilk
Liz Claiborne - please note, however, that Isaac Mizrahi, who has designed a discounted line of clothing for Liz Claiborne, DOES use fur in his designs
Lucky Brand Jeans
Mac & Jac
Malan Breton
Mango
Marc Bouwer
Matt and Nat
Nicole Miller
Olsen Haus - no leather either (vegan shoe line)
John Patrick - organic line
Paul Frank
Polo Ralph Lauren
Rebecca Beeson
Rebecca Taylor
Sheila Frank
Stella McCartney
Steve Madden
Stewart + Brown
Timberland
Todd Oldham
Tommy Hilfiger
Victoria Bartlett/VPL
William Rast