Taryn Rose shoes and handbags made a green scene at the party.

Taryn Rose Celebrates Green Line

Guests Get First Look at Eco-Friendly Footwear, Handbags

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Apr. 18, 2008)—Last night Taryn Rose International celebrated the release of its eco-friendly footwear line, Verde, with an event held, aptly enough, at an eco-friendly house. Hosted by Elle West Coast editor Lilah Schechner, guests could view and purchase the season’s footwear and handbag collection while dining on organic hors d’oeuvres and sipping organic juices. A percentage of the evening’s proceeds were donated to Global Green USA and Enterprise Community for their environmental efforts.

Guests mixed and mingled at the LEED certified house.

Designed by LivingHomes, the 2,500 square foot house is the nation’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum-certified home. “The house is made from 11 modules, so it's a prefab house,” says Aldo Fierro, assistant to the CEO. “Every element here is eco-friendly.” The 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom home features concrete floors made with fly ash, which is a by-product of burnt coal that makes the concrete stronger. The windows are double paned for energy efficiency, and the appliances are Energy Star rated. The kitchen counters are made with newsprint and are 100 percent recyclable.

This Taryn Rose purse proved even purple can be green.

"Living Homes is a completely organic alternative to homes and we thought it was a great partnership to have with them,” Tracy Wass, vice president of marketing for Taryn Rose International, tells WSAToday.com. “With Elle, we tied in with their May issue, which is their eco issue.”

Organic make-up from Organic Wear by Physicians Formula was a hit.

Guest Tiffany Davis-Rustam, a local eco-friendly graphic designer, took advantage of the free make-up tips being offered by Organic Wear, a line of organic cosmetics by Physicians Formula. She believes that everyone can do their part to help save the planet and one way to do that is from the ground up. “It’s pretty great. More shoes need to take that stance,” she says of the Verde line. “Everyone needs to start making those choices.” Davis-Rustam herself researches the ways she can help the environment, such as using recycled paper and vegetable-based inks.

The new line proves eco-friendly can be fun, too.

Italian for ‘green,’ shoes in the Verde collection are constructed with rubber soles made from vegetable oil, organic vegetable-tanned leathers and non-toxic glue. Available in stores now, the casual and athletic silhouettes are handcrafted in Italy and have a starting price point of $400. According to Wass, the fall ’08 line will include a lot of the same styles, but will also incorporate some different uppers and alternative materials. Spring ’09 will bring the debut of a more dressy collection, as well as a line for men.

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