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. slmag.net
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