Vaute Couture: No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of these Coats

It’s that time of year again when squash starts popping up at the grocery store, and retailers begin unpacking boxes of Christmas ornaments while shoppers exclaim in unison, “What? It’s not even Halloween yet!”

Still, there’s no denying that winter is coming, and it’s best to be prepared with a coat that will keep you warm through those frigid December days. For a high quality coat that mirrors my own values of compassion, I look to a small, vegan-owned company called Vaute Couture. Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, who started Vaute Couture, focuses on fair labor practices and using cutting-edge fabrics to create coats that are not only fashionable but also can keep a person warm in a state where temperatures dip to zero and lower.  Most of the Vaute Couture sales seem to happen online, but I was able to visit their flagship store in Brooklyn recently and see some of the vegan coats for myself, along with their signature shirts, sweatshirts, and dresses.

Before buying from Vaute Couture, I’d looked around for a long time for a coat that would keep me warm, was something I felt comfortable in, and didn’t come at the expense of any animals.  That can be a difficult set of requirements to match.  My husband had an even tougher time finding a men’s coat, particularly in a pea coat style, that was well made with a good fit that wasn’t made with wool or leather, or packed with down.

Then 4 years ago, I ordered my first coat from Vaute Couture – the Belden for me and the Whitman for my husband.  And let me tell you that while I worried at first about how much I was spending, when the first 30 below wind chill day hit, that worry was the only thing melting away.  It was absolutely worth it for how warm it kept me.   It was dressy enough for an evening out and soft enough for every day use.

The Belden can be worn three different ways around the neck – like a traditional trench, buttoned to cover the chest, or buttoned all the way to the top to protect the neck completely and even the lower part of the face.  When there’s a strong icy wind, it’s nice to have the option.

My husband’s Whitman has a slim, European cut, which he loves.  It’s a mid-length coat in their Luxe fabric.  Because his coat is in a dark shade, it has worn absolutely beautifully over the years.  It looks the same as when he first got it.

If you live somewhere cold, travel to those places, or you just like pretty things, I highly recommend the coats from Vaute Couture.  Even better than how toasty warm they keep you on a cold winter day, it feels so good to know that no animals were harmed in the making of them!

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