Portman Kicks Back with Vegan Shoe Line

Thu., Jan. 3, 2008 8:09 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Natalie Portman has already stood up for her principles. Now she's getting ready to stand—and strut down the red carpet—on them.

The Golden Globe-winning actress, and longtime vegetarian, has teamed with the New York label Té Casan to design her own line of vegan-friendly footwear, a collaboration that has aptly, if not predictably, been dubbed the Natalie Portman Collection.

Designs for the shoe line have yet to be revealed, save for one pair of red patent high-heeled Mary-Janes, which the 25-year-old sports on the chic label's Website.

As well as being made without animal ingredients—no fur, no leather, no feathers—5 percent of the range's profits will be donated to charity, which could quickly add up to a hefty sum.

While the kicks are decidedly critter friendly, they may be less kind to consumers' wallets, with each pair expected to retail for around $200. The Natalie Portmans won't officially be made available until February, though impatient or trend-savvy shoppers can preorder through the Té Casan site as early as Jan. 15.

While Portman herself is a vegetarian of 17 years, though not a vegan, she has long refused to wear animal products in either her personal life or on the red carpet and has previously touted the footwear made by fellow vegan-happy designers Stella McCartney and, because even A-listers like a good deal, Target.

In November of last year, she told London's Guardian that while she refused to wear leather, she did dabble in wool, "although I don't think I have a lot of wool clothes. And I sort of made a no-buying-anything-new rule. I just have a lot of stuff."

"I figured, Look, if I need something, if my running shoes have holes in them and I don't have running shoes any more, then I'll get new ones."

Perhaps from her own line.

Unfortunately, curious shoppers will have to wait slightly longer to see if Portman got sporty with her collection, as the only pair currently on show is the decidedly dressy Mary-Jane.

Shoes aren't the only way the young actress is engaging in ethical and animal-friendly living. Last year, Portman traveled to Rwanda with animal expert Jack Hanna to shoot the documentary Gorillas on the Brink, as one of Animal Planet's Saving a Species-branded specials.