(and Their Perfect Vegan Shoe)

 

 

Every day, more and more people, due to both environmental and ethical reasons, make the decision to go vegan. Throughout every country, and all cultures, this dietary and lifestyle choice is gaining popularity due to the state of the planet, and a growing consciousness of animal rights.

You may be forgiven for considering celebrities as titans among men, as untouchable, uber-humans that are there only to be gawped at rather than spoken to. We mean, how often do you actually meet someone famous in an everyday setting? However, the truth is, celebrities live among us, as regular people. And plenty of regular people are vegan. So today, we're going to explore a choice handful of our favorite vegan celebrities, and pick out the perfect vegan shoes to match their lifestyle.

 

#1. Jared Leto

Perhaps one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now, Jared Leto is a high profile, fashion-conscious movie star and musician, appearing in a diverse range of films. An artful method actor, Leto managed to master a wide range of cinematic styles throughout his time on the silver screen. He has appeared in everything from serious dramas, such as 'Fight Club' and 'House of Gucci', to blockbuster superhero roles such as DC's famous Joker in The Oscar award winning film 'Suicide Squad', and in 'Zack Snyder's Justice League'. He also portrayed Marvel's eponymous living vampire 'Morbius' in his very own movie for Sony pictures. A musician as much as an actor, Leto has released five successful studio albums with his band, 30 Seconds To Mars, and is no stranger to the catwalk and fashion world.

Leto has maintained a vegetarian - which quickly became vegan - diet, for 20 years, which he claims helps maintain his youthful appearance. For a fifty-one year old who doesn't look a day over thirty, it's hard to not take him at his word on that claim. Leto is an animal rights activist who has supported anti-cruelty laws in the US, and was even named a global ambassador for the WWF. As well as being a high profile philanthropist, Leto has taken steps to promote a vegan lifestyle in his public life more generally, setting a great example for his fans.

It's well known that Leto is somewhat of a fashion guru, always showing up on the catwalk or to the Met Gala in ostentatious yet classy outfits that only he could pull off. For someone so aware of high fashion, We’d dress Jared in our Basti Brown. A men's vegan boot with a rich, oaky-brown, vegan leather body and sleek, fashionable design, Basti is the perfect ethical footwear pairing for a tailored suit and catwalk attitude.

 

 

 

#2. Billie Eilish

A young musician at the start of her career, Billie Eilish was born as late as 2001. Firmly in the category of being a truly zoomer celebrity, she is a music icon to the younger TikTok generation, and current teen music fans. She is the first singer born in the new millennium to get a song to number one in the charts, a record that cannot technically be beaten for another one thousand years. In addition to her popularity with fans, Billie is also a darling of the music critic world, raking in both Grammies and Oscars for her musical performances. She holds innumerable music awards, as well as a litany of world records for her various achievements. She has also collaborated on film and TV, writing the latest James Bond theme, and appearing in a special short film featuring The Simpsons.

Billie's parents lived as vegetarians for decades throughout the 1970s, but learned more about the exploitation of the egg and dairy industry in the 2010s, becoming fully vegan. Billie followed their example at the age of twelve, not struggling with the change due to not having eaten meat before anyway. In interviews, she expressed her affection for animals, and mentioned that she sees no point in using animal products, since the animals are already perfect just the way they are, and that perfectly delicious plant based alternatives exist. She has maintained the diet for a long time, and is proudly anti-exploitation.

Billie's footwear fashion revolves around various funky sneakers, with chunky soles and fun shapes. To match her quirky, urban style, we recommend our Dara, made from high quality vegan leather, and sporting recycled polyester laces. With a fun splash of various colours, these trendy sneakers would suit the alt style that Billie portrays with her unique sense of youthful fashion.

 

 

 

#3. James Cameron

To any film buffs, James Cameron needs no introduction. Out of the top five highest grossing movies of all time, he's directed three of them. A storytelling genius and visionary behind some of the most beloved and successful blockbusters of all time, Cameron's filmography is a line-up of well-known classics, including the mega-hit 'Avatar' series, classic sci-fi 'Aliens', and the first two Terminator films, among other successes.

Cameron adopted what he calls a “futurevore” diet in 2012, as he believes that veganism is the diet of the future. He also convinced his latest film's star and their family to at least become vegetarian while filming, which is a great starting point for them. Cameron is passionate about the ocean and it's wildlife, and stands staunchly against animal exploitation both in the food industry, and for forced entertainment such as dolphin shows. His latest film, Avatar: The Way of Water, was an anti-whaling allegory, exploring the horror of killing sentient, loving creatures for human gain. That film series more generally touches on the protection of wildlife and habitats, and on the virtues of a sustainable balance with nature.

For the avid sea-man, submariner and ocean-lover that Cameron is, we would recommend our Sea Shepherd collaboration boots, perfect for chilly weather and a deckside setting. With a strong, Piñatex material and soft, warm, organic cotton inside, these plant-based shoes would be sure to suit Cameron's outdoorsman aesthetic, and easily last through daily use during a busy film production cycle.

 

 

 

#4. Joaquin Phoenix

There must be something in the Gotham water supply that's changing hearts and minds, as surprisingly, this is the second actor who has portrayed DC's legendary Batman Villain, The Joker. Joaquin Phoenix is a legendary Hollywood star, spending his decades-long career tackling sensitive, serious, dramatic films and giving chilling, fantastic performances. He famously won the Best Actor award at the Oscars for his performance in the smash hit comic book drama 'Joker', where he portrayed a downtrodden, mentally struggling comedian-turned-criminal. Phoenix has also starred in a number of other high profile films, such as M Night Shyamalan's classic alien invasion thriller 'Signs', where he was nominated for best supporting actor.

Phoenix adopted a vegan diet aged just three years old, after he and his siblings were traumatised by the sight of fish being brutally killed. For someone adopting the diet in 1977, he was well ahead of the popular culture curve, and has managed to fiercely keep to his convictions ever since. He also claims that the lifestyle is one of the most important things in his life to him. He is dedicated to the lifestyle not specifically for the healthy living, but because of his deep moral opposition to the meat industry's farming practices, and the other harvesting of animal products. Phoenix has leveraged his celebrity status to draw attention to the pressing issues of animal rights – donating not just money but his own time to get actively involved with protests and campaigns against animal exploitation. He is a long-time supporter of PETA, and even used his Oscar's acceptance speech to speak about the issue which he values so deeply. Joaquin is more than someone simply adopting a diet, but he lives the lifestyle wholesale, and passionately advocates his beliefs to his fans and wider audience.

Despite being a Hollywood star, Phoenix remains very real and down to earth with how he dresses. Having shunned woollen suits after learning about the exploitation of sheep in the shearing process, he often prefers to wear more casual clothes, keeping (vegan) suits a style selected mainly for the red carpet. However, when he does arrive to events dressed up to the nines, he has often appeared still sporting his trusty pair of well-worn sneakers. We applaud his dedication to choosing durable, everyday shoes over expensive, designer leather pieces worn by most big stars, and recommend our own REDO PET Sneakers. A casual, stylish pair of everyday vegan sneakers, made from recycled plastic bottles. These recycled shoes come with white laces and non-slip soles, and a gentle organic cotton lining, as well as a trendy recycling symbol emblazoned on the side. The sneakers will capture Joaquin's down to earth style, while also keeping plastic out of landfill, and encouraging the sustainable farming of natural, vegan materials.

 

 

 

#5. Venus & Serena Williams

Between them, Venus and Serena Williams dominate not just women's tennis, but the whole of the tennis world, being considered some of the best players of all time in any gender category. Venus has 7 grand slam titles to her name, and Serena has 23. Both have been ranked number 1 player in the world during their lifetimes. Two African-American sisters and sports-women at the top of their game, the tennis community is unlikely to ever forget the duo of players.

Venus adopted a vegan lifestyle over ten years ago, due to the powerful health benefits the diet provides. She attributes her vastly improved immune system, skin, and general health to her diet, and to her control over the raw, healthy food she intakes. While Serena isn't as consistent as with maintaining the diet, she generally eats vegan, following her big sister's example. Both have worked and collaborated with vegan fashion brands, bringing their knowledge of sportswear and celebrity status to the table, as well as a dedication to clean eating and ethical living.

For the sporty duo, we would recommend our Pole White Vegan Sneakers. Carefully crafted from our microfibre-based vegan leather and sporting organic cotton laces, the pole is an ideal unisex sneaker for anyone looking for urban wear or sports chic. Its clean white design makes Pole a perfect compliment to the traditional tennis outfit, maintaining style and performance on the court. The shoes are designed for movement, and can hold their own through match after countless match.

 

 

 

Conclusion

If we took the time to list every vegan celebrity out there, this article would be a thousand pages long, because every day more popular names are choosing to go vegan. These are just a few of the most beloved and influential people that came to mind, but we hope our fashion tips and recap of their accomplishments and lifestyle inspired you as much as they did us.