Vegan Queen’s uber eco friendly, high quality, stylish and tasteful bags have just danced onto the scene. Who is this Vegan Queen? And why am I hearing strains of an Abba tune in my head right now?
The attributes of creator, Evelina’s line read like a handbook on how to be an Eco Girl Scout: cruelty-free, eco friendly, recyclable, non-toxic, organic, sustainable, and made in the USA.
Alas, these eco luxe things come at a price — ie $795 for the Eco IT bag (above, left). (Above right is the Eco City bag.) Get ready to really splurge or ask daddy to start pouring the sugar. As hip and stunning as they look, I’d rather pay a lot less for an eco friendly bag, and spend the balance on an eco charity.
You can check out her luxurious line of chic and “socially responsible bags” @ veganqueen.com
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I just received my EcoIt bag last week, and I was pleasantly surprised by the esthetic, not just on the outside but on the inside. The inner lining was the softest cotton you have ever seen, or touched…it made we want to keep reaching in the bag all day. The bag survived all that horrible rain in the Bay Area this past Saturday, thanks in part to the rubber, and PVC-free “leather”. Very fashion forward, shows that you don’t have compromise style to be ECO Friendly.
I guess it was just a matter of time before someone decided to cash in on the green movement. I think the prices are way too high – I agree with the author – I rather spend my money on eco charities or research.
I purchased two bags from Vegan Queen. One bag has been great and there have been no problems. The other bag, the Imperial Bag, costing $896 fell apart after one use. I used the bag one time–inside was my wallet. The next time I used it I notice one of the straps had popped off and that there was a hole along a seam on the other side. I called Evelina (Vegan Queen) to ask about a replacement. She was unapologetic and told me to send her pictures which I did. She then told me to send the bag back. I asked if, since the item was defective, if I could be reimbursed for shipping and she replied, “not really…” I then expressed concern over her customer service and heard nothing from her. I then asked for a refund due to lack of communication. Over the next two weeks I was unable to get Vegan Queen to communicate effectively.
I contacted VQ after the bag had been returned (I had tracking through UPS) and asked when my paypal account would be refunded, to which she replied, “at the end of the week.” When that came and went I wrote again, saying I hadn’t received the refund. I then got an email saying, “you are eligible for a full refund minus any shipping costs for VQ bag in perfect condition …it must be unworn…otherwise VQ will have to charge you a fee! …$150″ This–two weeks after I first contacted her–was the first I had heard of this. It also is not listed on her website. Not only did she do this–refund my money minus $150–but she processed the refund as a payment through PayPal, which means that I was charged seller’s fees. I contacted her about this problem, but of course, have heard nothing from her. I filed a dispute through PayPal to which she did not respond, then escalated to a claim. I have not got my money back.
I have also been in contact with one of her distributors who has since decided to stop carrying her line, due in large part to my experience. I wrote to the PR people listed on her website and they contacted me immediately and apologized for my difficult experience but told me that they no longer work with Vegan Queen. I went to her website and clicked on “contact” then called the number listed under “sales inquiries” but they didn’t seem to know much about the brand. So basically the contact info listed on her site is not valid.
I really wanted to support this company, and throughout this extremely stressful process, I kept hoping Evelina would do the right thing. The idea behind the line is wonderful and the bags are beautiful. I’m not necessarily calling the quality of the bags into question, but exercise extreme caution if you decide to purchase a VQ bag. Do it through a distributor with a good reputation and good customer service. Make sure they will stand behind the quality of the bag, because Evelina will not. I urge you not to purchase a bag through the Vegan Queen website as I did. If you happen to have any problems, you will likely be treated the way I was treated. There is nothing luxurious about being treated disrespectfully and having your hard-earned money stolen!
Buy these bags at your own risk!
http://girliegirlarmy.com/blog/20081024/vegan-queens-n-pistol-packin-mamas/
I wonder how many out there realise that leather isn’t just from a cow. Many animals from sheep, goat and pig have their skins produced into leather bags and other clothing too! We adour leather bags.