Giulia & Romeo: Leading the Charge in Compassionate, Vegan Fashion

The genesis of Giulia & Romeo comes from the personal realization of Brunner herself. After the birth of her son Romeo, in 2017, Daniela underwent a transformative reflection about the reality of animal cruelty that is embedded on a large scale within the fashion industry. This troubling realization led her to transition to veganism and a greater reevaluation of her fashion choices. Brunner recalls, “When I became vegan in January 2018 with the birth of my son Romeo, my whole attitude changed”. Brunner admits “I used to always buy exclusive high-end brands”, but then “suddenly I became aware of how much cruelty is hidden in all these products.” These truths sparked a desire to fill a void in the market for cruelty-free fashion that didn't compromise style or quality. Daniela recently gave birth to twins, one of whom she named Giulia, bringing Romeo and Giulia together forever. Giulia and Romeo opened their first brick and mortar store in Munich, Germany in September of 2023. Brunner’s brand is at the forefront of vegan fashion, and she will continue to expand her brand as far as she dares.

Giulia & Romeo stands out with its distinctive material quality and design versatility. Brunner remains at the forefront of all of her designs, curating pieces that embody a mix of modern aesthetics and timeless elegance. The brand's offerings range from chic tailored blazers to ethereal maxi dresses, sleek handbags, and classically designed outerwear including sweatshirts and hoodies. Her pieces incorporate sustainable materials including organic jersey, Ecopel, and innovative vegan leather alternatives like mushroom and pineapple leaves. The brand's commitment to cruelty-free fashion extends to their manufacturing process, which involves collaboration with local tailors and artisans that ensure equitable labor practices and high-quality craftsmanship.

Giulia & Romeo's journey hasn't been without its challenges. A notable occurrence that happened came right before their second major fashion show. For the show, Brunner had partnered with a local textile factory that would provide all the necessary materials and fabrics for her pieces. Unfortunately, the results did not meet Brunner's expectations, and the pieces had to be completely scrapped. Brunner confidently carried on, and decided to enlist a new team of tailors and designers to remake her collection from scratch, hours before viewing. Bruner's resilience is what continues to carry the ethos of her brand and commitment to great fashion.

Central to Giulia & Romeo's mission is a profound respect for all living beings. The brand's dedication to cruelty-free clothing is exemplified by its pledge to donate 100% of its profits to animal welfare organizations.These efforts and the brands commitment to vegan sourcing has also gotten recognition from major players within animal advocacy spaces. The brand has been recognized by PETA and Animal Equality for their use of eco-friendly materials and commitment to responsible manufacturing. The brand’s eco-friendly reputation continues to gain momentum within the growing vegan industry as a whole, as they seek to minimize the environmental impact commonly associated with traditional fashion production. Their vegan alternatives, a result of meticulous research and development, have proven to be successful in creating pieces that exemplify durability and luxury. All through ethical means.

With aspirations to establish an international footprint, Giulia & Romeo plans to open stores in major cities like London, Los Angeles, and New York, following the opening of their inaugural store in Munich. Their label has already been getting support amongst the public, one person in particular is Pamela Anderson. The beloved actress and animal activist has been spotted wearing the vegan brand recently in an outing in New York. The black hoodie with the words “Vegan” labeled on the back, is just one of the many outerwear pieces that Brunners has curated as a part of her collection. Brunner's goal in the end is to forge personal connections with customers worldwide while continuing to extend their influence in the fashion industry and championing the cause of ethical fashion.