Company | Charmone Shoes

Charming shoes, in harmony with the earth.

Our mission is to create beautiful, luxurious, sexy shoes that are also sustainable and cruelty-free. Every shoe incorporates European design and quality while using only animal-free, eco-friendly materials. We believe no one should sacrifice their style conscious just to serve their social conscience. Charmoné is focused on compassionate design:

COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS

This all started when a vegan friend, often clad in the latest, coolest, designer leather shoes, complained that all non-leather shoes were either a) ugly; b) poor quality; and often c) both! It got us thinking- why all the fuss about leather anyway? Isn't there a way, in this modern age, to get away from using animal skins as the ultimate luxury? Traditionally, non-leather shoes were considered inferior due to poor construction, lack of breathability and generally being harder on the environment. We found a way to eliminate every traditional barrier by using high-quality Italian microfibers that are constructed exactly like leather, making them breathable, lightweight and colorfast. Not to mention water-resistant! So you can easily be a nice person while wearing killer heels. We won't tell anyone.

COMPASSION FOR THE PLANET

How can you use synthetic materials and call it eco-friendly? Well, believe it or not, the process of creating microfiber is less polluting to the environment than the process of tanning, factory farming and processing leather. In addition, the materials are free from harmful PVCs, using instead a light polyurethane coating which is gentler on the environment. We also incorporate sustainable practices throughout the production process, from using last boards made from 70% pre-consumer waste to using recycled materials in our boxes, business cards and other printed materials. Who says it's not easy being Green?

COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE

Charmoné shoes are made sweatshop-free in Italy and Brazil, ensuring you enjoy quality craftsmanship without contributing to harsh working conditions. In addition to minimizing the impact of manufacturing, Charmoné takes it a step further by donating 5% of all profits to charities that support people, animals and the environment. The first charity slated for donation is Women for Women International, a charity that provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources they need to move from poverty and crisis to stability and self-sufficiency. We feel incredibly lucky to be doing what we love and hope to help others do the same.

About our Founders

Lauren Carroll

Co-owner/Partner
Lauren Carroll always knew she wanted to run her own business, doing something both creative and meaningful, but it would be several years and two cross-country moves before she would figure out just how her vision would take shape. After earning her BS from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and her MBA from Fordham University, Lauren worked in diverse industries such as advertising, entertainment, direct marketing and technology. The high-tech boom led her to move across the country to Silicon Valley, where she lent her marketing, branding and business development skills to a blue-chip start-up that was on its way to being "the next big thing." But after the dot.com bust of 2001 and the birth of her daughter, Lauren found herself wanting to be closer to family in New York. Just 18 months after moving to Silicon Valley, she packed back up and returned to the place she still calls home, to work for yet another software company. Three weeks after returning to New York, the World Trade Center was attacked only blocks from her building. The intensity of the situation, combined with the roller-coaster of the last 2 years forced her to evaluate what she wanted in life and revisit the idea of starting her own business. Lauren envisioned creating a business that was both fun and socially-conscious – a complete departure from her work in the high-tech industry. After hearing vegetarian friends lament the lack of designer-level non-leather shoes, Lauren developed the idea of creating a luxurious socially-conscious fashion label- beginning with shoes. She contacted another misplaced high-tech worker, Jodi Koskella, and the idea clicked. Charmoné was born.

Jodi Koskella

Co-owner/Partner
Jodi Koskella always dreamed of working in fashion. From the time she was old enough to play with "Fashion Plates" and choose her own clothes, she felt a pull towards the excitement and ever-changing nature of the fashion industry. During college she studied marketing and worked in retail sales for large chains such as The Limited and Nordstrom, and always envisioned moving into an exciting career in fashion immediately after school. But graduating from college in the 90's and moving to Silicon Valley led her to begin a career in software, something she always considered "temporary." After 11 years of dot-com booms and busts, she woke up one day wondering how she ended up surrounded by khaki's and company-logoed polo shirts- and knew something had to change. Silicon Valley certainly had its benefits. From working with a diverse and intelligent group of people to gaining extensive expertise in marketing, branding and product management, it proved to be an ideal, if unlikely, training ground for starting Charmoné. Without it, she would have never met business partner Lauren, and may not have had the 'risk tolerance' needed to start her own venture. With nothing more than a strong vision, a solid design esthetic and a willingness to learn, Jodi & Lauren dived in head-first to start Charmoné in early 2005. In a short time the company has already created a cult-like following among supporters, garnered major media attention and created the eco-luxury footwear niche.