Veganism refers to vegetarianism, a philosophy that involves not eating any animal products such as meat or eggs, and instead consuming only plant-based foods. It's a philosophy that has become more widespread as calls for diversity have grown.
And so veganism... the concept is actually gradually spreading to the shoe industry as well. Shoes made from synthetic leather or using only plant-based dyes, rather than animal leather, are called vegan shoes.
While there are still few stores that carry them, I'd like to introduce an up-and-coming vegan shoe specialty store I discovered in Taipei. It's called Gullar.
Location of Gullar
The nearest station to Gullar is Zhongshan Elementary School Station, about a 5-minute walk southeast from Exit 2.
The shop has a distinctive bright red facade and is hard to miss.
I opened the bright red door and had a look inside.
A wide selection of products, sometimes with bold designs
Gullar originally dealt in men's clothing such as suits, but in recent years has expanded into the shoe market, pioneering new markets. As a result, they have a wide selection of men's shoes with traditional designs.
For example, they have a full range of designs, including straight-tip oxfords, derbys, double monks, and whole-cut shoes, as shown below, and they also have a full range of traditional colors, from black to light brown.
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| Most shoes cost around 4,000 yuan. |
hese are Oxfords. The unique brogueing is indescribably beautiful. The coloring of the sole and upper is also distinctive.
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| Oxford: 3,980 yuan |
That's right, since these are vegan shoes, the soles are all rubber. It would be difficult to use synthetic leather as a sole in terms of durability, so they used rubber because the concept is vegan.
And these are derby and double monk shoes. The apron derby has a clean design with a wide nose last. Since it's synthetic leather, I prefer darker colors over lighter ones.
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| pron Derby: 3,980 yuan |
And here are gold-colored derby shoes with piping. The greenish piping and gold color are in harmony, making these beautiful shoes.
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| Gold Derby: 12,800 yuan |
Looking around the store, these shoes were the most distinctive design. They were double monk boots with a crossover. While the other shoes were simple and classic, these were quite bold. It was a unique design, and I was curious to see how they would fit.
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| Cross Double Monk |
And we can't forget about sneakers. White sneakers are something that every fashion house has been releasing lately. Gullar also stocks them.。
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| Sneakers: 3,980 yuan |
These are the main men's shoes, but we also have a wide selection of women's shoes.
Although the main focus is on loafers, we also like the fact that the brand places emphasis on practical women's shoes with low heels, such as coin loafers, bit loafers, and simple loafers without any design.
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| Loafers: from 3,680 yuan |
Now, people who are used to men's shoes made from genuine leather probably wouldn't even consider vegan shoes made from synthetic leather. It's true that for those who are used to seeing and wearing calf leather, synthetic leather may seem cheap and frivolous, and not suitable for their own footwear.
But synthetic leather does have its advantages. Its greatest benefit is its light weight. Vegan shoes are about 20-30% lighter than genuine leather shoes, making them less tiring to wear for long periods of time. And with the lining also being specially designed, they are even more comfortable to wear. Here's what they have to offer.
The mesh-like synthetic lining allows moisture to escape easily, making it feel cleaner to wear than genuine leather linings. It seems this lining was created after careful consideration of the vegan concept. Another point that Gullar is praised for is the tight seams.
here are two lines of tightly stitched seams, suggesting the craftsmanship is sound.
I heard that Gullar shoes are produced in multiple specialized factories, and by specializing in each process, they are able to improve production efficiency and cultivate high technical skills.
Taiwanese shoes are all the rage right now, and Gullar's vegan concept shoes are a particularly hot trend. They are actually hoping to expand into Japan and continue to sell more. They can be purchased at stores like pinkoi, so if you're interested, why not check it out?
Gullar
【Opening hour】PM2:30～PM8:30
【Closed days】Monday, Tuesday
【HP】https://gullartw.com/
There are also many other colorful shoes available.
There are also white shoes that test advanced technical skills.
As the store originated as a men's clothing store, there was a striking suit on display in one corner.
If you are in the area, be sure to stop by as our friendly staff will be happy to assist you.
Thank you, Mr. Liu, for your kind response!
