Trendy Weed on the Runway
A fashion runway and a stoner are hardly ever mentioned in the same sentence. Stereotypically a stoner gets associated with long hair, loose fitting clothes and a laidback attitude. But a change has been coming over the last two year or so and weed is becoming more chic. The hippie stereotype – no offence- is slowly going up in smoke as more and more professionals are opening up about their preference towards the bud.
In both the marijuana and fashion industry, there are super creative people and at fashion parties you will find loads of people smoking. It is part of their creative tools and they use it for relaxation. More cannabis related accessories companies are looking for talented branders to give their own products a high-design makeover.
Marijuana has traveled a far and hard road, sometimes through troubled water. But now with the legalization process in the US on the go in many states, many believe it is just a manner of time before it federally is legalized too. Just as cigarettes and flasks had makeovers over the last years, marijuana is entering that point.
No wonder then at the preview of 2017 Pre-Fall collection, the designers Chris Peters and Shane Gabier of Creatures of the Wind had a lot to say. Everyone is seeing huge dollar signs and the expectation of potential growth projections is the overshadowing of the smartphone industry.
Cannabis marketing is finding ways to reach different audiences. Many pot entrepreneurs don’t want to be associated with the negative image of lazy stoners. Two elements are also helping urging marijuana on into fashion. The first is the great number of celebrities that openly proclaim their love for the green leaf. In the celebrity world it is a common thing to use and talk about weed. The second reason is that cannabis companies are catching up with the fashion world and vice versa. They are getting smarter with branding and marketing.
Opportunities for the fashion industry to capitalize on the legalization of marijuana go way beyond using the marijuana leaf on clothes alone. Accessories like pipes, bongs and vaporizers are worth looking into. In the state of Colorado in Denver, cannabis brands are focusing on high tech designing. It falls right in line with Whole Food Style messaging (organic strain, premium, no toxin, artisanal, hand processed). They use this concept for a selection of cannabis chocolates and beauty products.
Sheryl Schuman, the founder of the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club, says when it comes to the connoisseur-level consumption of any artisanal good, like coffee, beer or wine, presentation is the most important factor. The right presentation can show class and quality.
Big Boom – There is a big boom on the accessory line of marijuana products. At the same time, there is a big boom on lifestyle changes when it comes to use the product. The high-end user will spend millions, as not billions, on finding the product to their liking. Just the vaporizer market alone was in 2015 valued at $3.5 billion by Wells Fargo. Vaporizers are safe for investors and fashion companies and the market is growing with stylish designs of not just vaporizers, but also pipes, atomizers and storage products to suit every taste. One such vaporizer is the Pax Vaporizer. It goes for $360 online and is a USB-charged smoking tool.
Federal Law still forbids shipping of any cannabis created money, but it should not necessarily be seen as a drawback. In fact, it could just as well create a new sort of shopping craze. High-end consumers would not blink an eye to visit Paris to buy a Louis Vuitton bag. Why can’t they do the same to visit Los Angeles to consume their favorite bud at their favorite pot shop?
It is just a matter of time for big luxury conglomerates to jump on the money wagon of the marijuana industry. With a Country like Canada, that in spring 2017 go fully legalized, it is not far off for other countries to follow.
It is clear that pot-as-fashion is with us. The movement of weed in fashion is more than just a fun experience. It is about bringing the design that always was related to rebellion to the table. The plant has a wacky and dangerous connotation to it, but at the same time it is mysterious. It is associated with smugglers, rebels and hippies; and yet sophisticated professionals are using it. It can be used for all sorts of different fashions.
Marijuana is making headlines and fashion as always, will pick up what is going on in culture and make it its own.
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