Cruelty-free designer Kat Mendenhall will supplement the growth of Dallas, TX’s vegan scene with the opening of the city’s first vegan boutique, Mend RT (“mending the world with vegan retail therapy”). After running her business online for many years, the brick-and-mortar boutique, set to open mid-March, will be an important stepstone in the emerging world of cruelty-free fashion—selling cowboy boots, belts, jewelry, clothing, and home goods that are free of animal products. “Proving that animals do not have to suffer for high-end quality fashion is something I’m deeply committed to,” Mendenhall says. “Opening a showroom provides a venue to make that happen, especially in a shopping mecca like Dallas.” Mendenhall plans to announce the official opening date and store hours on her website in the coming weeks. As evidenced by countries such as India and Croatia, celebrities such as Sia and Pamela Anderson, and designers like ZINK, plant-based fashion is becoming more and more mainstream, making the industry’s use of animal products an outdated practice.

Photo courtesy of Kat Mendenhall