Carbon Dating

Swipe right on these timepieces and jewelry that highlight the strength and beauty of carbon fiber.

Compiled by Bridget Williams

Clockwise from top left: Fabio Salini carbon fiber necklace with 292.78 cts of colored gemstones (fabiosalini.co.uk/). David Yurman forged carbon faceted band ring with 18K yellow gold ($2,500). Available from Diamond Cellar in Columbus, in Indianapolis from Moyer Fine Jewelers and Reis-Nichols; in Kentucky from Davis Jewelers, and at davidyurman.com. Furrer Jacot 6.5mm white gold, rose gold and carbon wedding bands ($2,880 with diamonds / $2,680 without diamonds, furrer-jacot.com). G- Shock MTGB2000YBD1 features a monocoque inner case of carbonreinforced resin set in a layered carbon frame ($1,200; gshock.com). Limited-edition GT Tour Carbon timepiece from Reservoir with 43mm laminated carbon case and 37-hour power reserve Clockwise from top left: ($7,126; reservoir-watch.com). Carbon fiber ring with lapis lazuli from Lotus Arts de Vivre ($5,810; lotusartsdevive.com).

THE LUXURY VEGAN

How the Luxury Market is Embracing Veganism with Wide-open Arms

Written by Dominique Side / Photos courtesy of Ashli Urquhart

Now more than ever, veganism is on the rise with the number of vegans in the United States skyrocketing from 0.4 percent to almost 3.5 percent in the last two years or so. But despite this growth, veganism still holds an odd place in the minds of most consumers; they tend to think both of radicalized hippies and of the organic Whole Foods produce they can’t even afford. It’s a confusing duality.

My own journey to veganism began four and a half years ago. I was on a specific workout regimen and one of my trainers said, “Try this plant-based protein powder. It’s better for your digestion. “So, I did and I loved it. So much that it got my wheels turning about makeup—and as soon as I did even cursory research, I saw that vegan cosmetics were far better for both my skin and the planet. Next came vegan cleaning supplies, a few products for my kids—and yet I still wasn’t thinking about food. Until I watched a documentary on veganism. And then it was all over. I knew I could never go back to eating any animal products again.

And, being me, I immediately began scheming on ways to convince others that veganism wasn’t just the right choice, but a fantastic and life-enriching choice. So, I built a boutique vegan grocery store and clothing company. I made sure my studio, media complex, and production facility were all eco-friendly. Then I started to think about ways to help individual influencers embrace the vegan lifestyle. I knew that making the leap was the toughest part and that people could use help easing into the transition. And after doing some research, I saw that the luxury market wasn’t getting a lot of love from the vegan community—which seemed like a missed opportunity.

After all, top earners and wildly successful people have the resources to surround themselves with the best of the best but they’re often too busy to do their own research. So, they may gravitate toward whatever society or the media tells them has value. If I could show them that veganism was the best possible choice for the environment, for animals, and for their own health and longevity, I could bring some seriously heavy hitters into the vegan fold! I could elevate veganism overall, and create a generation of influential individuals who lead by example. And that’s how my compassion-based luxury lifestyle consultancy, The Luxury Vegan, was born.

What I’ve found as I’ve worked with my elite clients is that many, many people still think of “luxury” and “vegan” as opposite ends of the spectrum. They know that a vegan lifestyle can be costly, but assume any animal-free wearables, skincare options, and menus will have that earthy, boho, down-market feel to it. I got curious. I wondered if entrepreneurs in the fast-emerging luxury vegan market struggled to convince customers that their meticulously crafted wares were, in fact, cruelty-free. So, I spoke with 17 innovators in the vegan market—and here’s what they told me.

My interviewees ranged from chefs and food production experts to cosmetics formulators and fashion designers, and nearly all of them said that when you’re questing for the absolute best materials and ingredients, they are generally vegan. Even if you’re not looking for vegan options, the best quality components tend to be plantbased and cruelty-free.

Lindsey McCoy, CEO and co-founder of Plaine Products, told me, “We do personal care products and the ingredients are all vegan. Interestingly enough, we didn’t set out necessarily to do that, but it turns out when you just prioritize good, clean, natural ingredients, that’s where you end up.” Nina LaBruna, CEO of LaBruna Skincare, explained that her research led her naturally to buy and use exquisite ingredients. “Most of our carrier ingredients are actually luxurious. They’re really expensive,” she said. “I buy goji berry oil and sea buckthorn in their pure form, where other lines might water them down with carrier oil. My ingredients are really pure, really rich, and that makes them really expensive. So, I do consider my line to be a luxury line.” Helena Pantahos, founder of Desyllas Luxury Vegan Footwear, pointed out that it’s not just materials but also methods that elevate vegan products. They’re often made by craftspeople, specialists, artisans who pour their knowledge into the items they’re making “People are a bit confused at first when you say luxury vegan,” she told me, “but when you think of luxury shoes, or luxury items, they’re usually a bit more exclusive, made a bit slower. And then when you look at veganism and sustainable businesses, they’re also a bit slower, more exclusive. So, I love how well the two fit together.” On top of all this, there is a subset of elite consumers who don’t just want logo-encrusted goods, they want small-batch, pastureraised, organic food. To them, that is the height of luxury and they’re willing to pay for it. Courtney Lindsay—executive chef of Mo’ Better Brews, owner of Houston Sauce Co., executive chef at Houston Sauce Pit, and owner of Big Hot Chicken—summed this up beautifully, saying, “Just because you become vegan, that doesn’t mean you stop liking luxury or name brand items. Or well-crafted items that may cost a little bit more.” Goop, Peloton, Lululemon—some of the biggest names in influence and commerce these days are wellness brands. In a recent report for Luxe Digital, Florine Eppe Beauloye pointed out that, “Wellness is the new affluence and status symbol. Wellness has become a luxury lifestyle to be enjoyed and flaunted.” Clean diets, strict yoga regimens, and toned bodies are all brag-worthy these days. Many of the people embracing the wellness revolution gravitate toward veganism for health reasons. Much like me, as soon as they begin to investigate what they’re putting into or onto their bodies, vegan options become more appealing. Keli Smith, founder and CEO of minimal plant-based skincare brand Kaike, is encouraged by this and hopes more people will start researching the products they use. “When people take a more mindful look at not only what we eat, but what we put on our skin, that shapes the industry,” she said. “The more that we take a closer look at what we consume and what we use, the more we can impact the industry at large.” LaBruna explained that it was the trendy nature of vegan wellness products that got her foot in the door with national chains. Clean beauty is so hot, it’s become a business advantage. “The wellness industry is booming right now, so I know that the luxury space is catering to that,” she said. “The way we started getting into some of our bigger retailers and making those partnerships was because that was our identity. Nordstrom was doing a clean beauty pop-in where they were highlighting vegan, luxury, cruelty-free brands. We wouldn’t have been able to be in that space if we didn’t hit those points.” Big retailers are starting to pay attention and partner with emerging vegan brands in the wellness sphere. That includes highend department stores, exclusive boutiques, and elite online retailers. They all know that wellness is a lucrative game, and they want in. Even aside from health and wellness, eco-friendly products, services, and choices are becoming increasingly popular with luxury consumers. Millennials and Generation Z consumers are driving 85 percent of global luxury sales growth, and 75 percent of those same consumers were willing to spend more on a product if it was created by a sustainable or socially conscious brand. A recent report on the luxury goods market from Bain & Company asserted that, “Social responsibility remains top of mind for luxury customers and