This month’s interview is with a woman who has been, not only a great friend to me, but a huge inspiration too. Moon Onyx Starr lives in London and has grown her following online from showcasing vegan designers and the new technologies in vegan materials. She is an avid animal rights activist and uses her platform to educate people about vegan fashion and the different styles you can achieve with cruelty-free clothing.

I connected with Moon over Instagram and we ran into each other at Veg Fest Live this year, and then met again at a vegan bloggers meet up we arranged. Moon is an incredible woman, with a fascinating life, and I really admire her outlook on veganism and the world around us! Her style is completely fabulous and I get so much inspiration from her experiments with her outfits and the content she creates on Instagram. I’m so happy she’s done an interview with me so you guys can learn more about her and get inspired yourself! Have a read and make sure to follow her on Instagram too!

When did you start exploring vegan fashion? What made you change how you view your wardrobe?

I started exploring vegan fashion as soon as I became vegan, over five years ago. I was vegetarian since childhood, but became vegan after I moved to the UK and watched PETA expośes on the leather and dairy industries and discovered that they were just as bad as the meat industry, if not worse. I started seeing my leather bags and shoes for what they were: the skin of beautiful, innocent animals who were brutally murdered in the name of fashion. That was it. Over time, I gave away all of my wool and leather clothes and accessories.

What would you say to people who don’t know what vegan fashion is?

Vegan fashion has become very dynamic and versatile. Much of it is stylish, eco-friendly, sustainable and sends out a very important message - you can be both fashionable and cruelty-free. There are so many high-quality animal-friendly alternatives out there which alleviates the needs to buy animal skins. These days vegan fashion is no different from any other type of fashion - it can be high fashion, chic, dressy, edgy, hip, trendy and casual. There is something for everyone.

There are so many great vegan brands to support now! Which ones really stand out for you?

This is a tough one as the list is endless!! For vegan statement fashion I love UK brand Viva La Vegan’s vintage reworked jackets and the tattoo-inspired tees by Generation V as well as the cute and quirky tees by Irish brand SassySpud. For luxury fashion, vegan fashion icon Stella McCartney, I feel like her collection has evolved immensely in the past couple of years in terms of sustainability and aesthetics. For high fashion, London-based McQueen-inspired brand The Savage by Sarah Regensburger. I especially love her badass golden pineapple leaf leather jacket which reminds of the King of Pop. For vegan snakeskin, I love the bags and hats by sustainable UK-based cork brand Fabrikk. 

What’s the piece of vegan clothing/accessory that you couldn’t live without?

My organic cotton tees by various vegan brands - they are so comfy for daily wear and send out such an important message to the public. I love to being a walking message. 

Who inspires your personal style?

I feel like my style always changes and evolves with my mood and the environment in which I live. I would describe my style as street chic. Right now, I would say London definitely inspires my style. My style icon has and always everything about Michael Jackson’s style - just so experimental and unique - his legendary style has inspired generation after generation. 

Have you found any items that are difficult/impossible to find a vegan alternative for? 

Nowadays, there are amazing alternatives for everything!

Where do you see the vegan fashion industry in the next 5 years?

I see vegan fashion becoming more mainstream. More brands will stop using various animal-derived fabrics and start using more vegan-alternatives. Overall, brands will become more sustainable. Organic cotton will become the norm. More high-fashion brands will continue to ban fur and exotic skins. There will be more leather and wool alternatives that brands will be forced to follow suit. I predict a much more compassionate and conscientious future.