We are very excited to also welcome the newest member to our team, Summer Rose. She is only 3 months old, but we know she will be a valuable asset to our company. She already spends a lot of time at the studio staring at our lovely Fall Collection and brainstorming new ideas. We can’t wait until she speaks our language. But for now, we’ll have to try and read her mind. Congratulations to Gina who had a lot to do with bringing her aboard. We hope you enjoy these pics!! We are always looking for fresh images to post, so send them to julie@cri-de-coeur.com. We are at the tradeshows this month trying to expose the mainstream market with our green meets high-end message. Wish us luck!

Gina wearing "Zoe" Boot

Click here to BUY on sale!

Gina with our little miss sunshine

Click Here to buy the "Shag" fringe boot

Julie wearing "Architect"

Click Here to buy "Architect"

Julie in FW12 Faux-Fur Cropped Vest

Medea in FW Faux-Fur Cropped Vest and "Antelope" Booties

Click here to buy "Antelope" convertible Boots

Summer gets a squeeze from Auntie Julie

Until next time, wear your heart out!

xx,

the cri girls

10.  The Food Revolution by John Robbins

9. Skinny Bastard by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

8. The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

** Pollan is not exactly an advocate for going entirely veg, but he gives us plenty to think about!

7.  Meat is for Pussies by John Joseph

6. The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

5. Veganist by Kathy Freston

4. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

3. Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

2. The China Study by T. Colin Campbell

1. Forks Over Knives by Gene Stone

Enjoy!

xx,

the cri girls

Please keep sending us photos and we’ll post them! Send to julie@cri-de-coeur.com.

until next time, wear your heart out.

xx,

julie & gina

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

In light of spreading good cheer, we  would love to offer you some gift choices that are 100% vegan. We know there is no such thing as the perfect eco-conscious gift, as these generous times usually involve paper waste, plastic, importing, fuel, cheap labor, etc… but every conscious effort helps, and we feel that doing our individual part helps lighten the load.  So here are our cruelty-free picks for the holiday season for your loved ones to enjoy!

Faux shearling/faux leather short jacket from Ann Taylor

Stolen Girlfriends Club Faux fur jacket

Frozen bangle by Pamela Love for Top Shop

Pamela Love, for that really special gift.... we mean *really* special

Cocoa V : All Vegan chocolate!!

Sweet n Sara vegan treats and gift baskets, with goodies such as this marshmallow snowman...

Possess faux leather bootie by Hearts of Darkness

Faux fur vest from National Jean Company

Juice Beauty Vegan Skin Care LIne : Cleanse & Glow kit

Green dollhouse from Plan Toys

Faux sheepskin round rug from Ecofo

OR…

You can PLANT A TREE, SPONSOR A RESCUED ANIMAL or DONATE TO CHARITY in your loved one’s name… It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Not only can your recipient not argue with that, they won’t have to return that plaid scarf or find a place for another picture frame.

Until next time, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday…

xx,

the cri girls

According to “The World’s Worst Toxic Pollution Problems Report, 2011″ prepared by Green Cross Switzerland and Blacksmith Institute, the 62 chrome tanneries spanning South Asia, South America, Africa, and Central America have contributed to the chromium poisoning (this can lead to eye damage, ulcers, bronchitis, and kidney and liver damage) of 1.9 million people. As revealed by Connie Wang from Refinery 29, tanneries are seriously endangering the lives of nearly 2 million people every year.

Add that to the list of problems leather farming ensues, including animal abuse, global recklessness, and unsafe working conditions.  How can we say that adorning leather has anything to do with having fashion sense when we blindly ignore these issues?  We can’t call it fashion sense at all. It’s more like fashion suicide.

Although some companies say their products are “biodegradable” and “eco-friendly,” the process of tanning stabilizes the collagen or protein fibers so that they actually stop biodegrading. Vegetable tanning is often termed the more eco-friendly alternative, however we argue that leather can’t be considered a sustainable material no matter what. Raising animals whose skins are turned into leather creates waste and pollution. Huge amounts of fossil fuels are consumed in livestock production and trees are being cut down to create pastureland.

Most leather produced in the U.S. and around the world is chrome-tanned. All wastes containing chromium are considered hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, a chrome-tanning facility wastes nearly 15,000 gallons of water and produces up to 2,200 pounds of “solid waste” (e.g., hair, flesh, and trimmings) for every ton of hides that it processes.

Among the disastrous consequences of this noxious waste is the threat to human health from the highly elevated levels of lead, cyanide, and formaldehyde in the groundwater near tanneries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the incidence of leukemia among residents in an area surrounding one tannery in Kentucky was five times the national average.  Arsenic, a common tannery chemical, has long been associated with lung cancer in workers who are exposed to it on a regular basis. Several studies have established links between sinus and lung cancers and the chromium used in tanning.

Wonder what you can do? Stop buying it. Period. You can make a difference.

Photo: Palash Khan

Kathy Freston, author of 'Veganist,' wearing Hearts of Darkness Bird over-the-knee Boots

Julie wears 'Shag' with tuxedo dress by Rag &Bone, velvet tuxedo jacket by Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent

Medea wears 'Sienna' with Aiko sweater and jeans by Rag & Bone

Introducing Medea Juhasz , Cri’s new sales rep!! She is a fellow vegan and showcases the ‘Sienna’ open toe bootie seen above with these fantastic flare jeans by Rag & Bone and an oversized half-sleeved sweater by Aiko. The spotlight is on bold hues this season, and Medea adds a pop of color by pairing this ensemble with a bright coral blouse from Urban Outfitters. Her look is crisp, simple and has the combination of hard and soft that is both comfortable and fashionable.

Until next time, wear your heart out!

xx,

J & G

During Fashion Focus Chicago ~ Millennium Park ~ Thursday, OCT. 20, 2011

Conscious Living TV presents the 3rd Annual Vert Couture eco-fashion show in the tents at Millennium Park, the largest green roof in the United States. This carbon-neutral charity event benefiting Keep Chicago Beautiful will highlight the continuum of Chicago’s sustainable, fair trade fashion movement.

Vert Couture will feature the Spring/Summer 2012 eco-collections of Chicago’s most talented designers, from rising ready-to-wear stars using renewable fabrics and vintage materials like Heart and Dollparts, to established accessory designers like Cri de Coeur, Mkriss and Marty Casey.

VIP guests will enjoy a “Sexy & Sustainable” green lounge cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres, gift bags and reserved priority seating.

Get your TICKETS today!

In 2010, Joshua Katcher of “The Discerning Brute” launched PINNACLE: Reinvent The Icon, an image-driven initiative consisting of fashion industry professionals from all areas of the fashion world who are clarifying the changed meaning of fur within the context of our current culture. He and his colleagues have been tirelessly passing out magazines during fashion week at Lincoln Center where fur is mind-boggingly prominent. They are committed to making the industry accountable with the enormous task of engaging people who may not want to listen and asking them to look at the hard facts and take a stand.

PINNACLE produces editorial stories, and works with informed designers, models, and other professionals to create accessories and various forms of visual art calling for personal and corporate accountability concerning the cruelty inherent in all fur production. Joshua is a committed environmentalist, animal rights, and social justice advocate.

Contribute your own work and join Pinnacle in raising awareness to start the ban on fur trade. Cri de Coeur is so happy to be a part of this effort and to voice a cause that can’t speak for itself.

“Fashion is a powerful form of visual communication. What we wear, design, and promote speaks volumes. Within the context of our current culture, animal fur has come to represent arrogant indifference and  frivolous cruelty. The problem is a disconnect between the physical reality of fur production vs. the mythology of the fur object. Designers, editors, stylists and retailers who resist this changed meaning risk being seen as ignorant of a well-documented reality, and unwilling to embrace knowledge, compassion and cultural evolution. More and more fashion professionals are taking a stand for a clear and honest consistency with the values most of us already share, and are making changes without compromising aesthetics. We are just a few of them, won’t you join us?” -Joshua Katcher

Get these vegan looks for yourself at Cri de Coeur!

Featured: "Sara" booties

Featured: "Charlie" fold-over messenger bag

Featured: "Dillon" Over-the-Knee Boot