Pinky Cole is bringing her vegan message from the kitchen to the runway. The Slutty Vegan founder and Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member has teamed up with PETA for a new campaign urging consumers to ditch animal-derived fashion in favor of faux alternatives.
The editorial-style campaign debuts with the tagline, "I choose FAUX because I'm REAL as hell," and features Cole wearing vegan fur, vegan shearling, and other animal-free looks. According to the organization, the entrepreneur pitched the concept herself after joining RHOA, where luxury fashion—including real fur and exotic skins—has long been part of the show's signature style.
In the accompanying video, Cole says learning how certain fashion pieces are made changed the way she shops.
"Once you learn that shearling comes from lambs and fur hats come from rabbits, you start to see fashion differently," she says. "So me? I like my glam high and my impact low: vegan."
She also pushes back on the idea that cruelty-free fashion means sacrificing luxury.
"There are vegan luxury options for everything … you do not need to compromise," Cole says. "I can show up in faux fur and still be that girl, and I didn't have to kill an animal to do it."
Cole has worked with PETA for years and serves on the organization's honorary board. Previous collaborations have included a food justice initiative focused on expanding access to plant-based foods in underserved communities, the family-focused "Family Garden of Vegan" campaign, and the "ThanksVegan" project celebrating plant-based holiday meals.
Cole continues balancing a growing television profile with ongoing business challenges. The entrepreneur, who founded Slutty Vegan in 2018 and turned it into one of the country's most recognizable plant-based restaurant brands, has spent the past year rebuilding after financial setbacks.
She regained control of Slutty Vegan following a 2025 restructuring, later unveiled a franchise strategy for the brand, and is currently working through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case tied to millions of dollars in personal debt.
