As a magnet for the creative and expressive, it's no wonder that the fashion industry appears to keep colliding paths with soft drugs, perhaps above all others, with cannabis. It's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the ever present voice of change, demanding the decriminalisation and legalisation of marijuana and it's not just via protests in the streets. People are curating all sorts of creative ways to grab media and political attention, and fashion seems to be climbing on board too.
The seemingly fading negative stereotypes of cannabis use is ever more apparent as people continue to grow more tolerant and accepting of its existent and usage. So why is there still a stigma associated for those who declare themselves stoners in the UK? As a uni student, it's almost impossible to not come by at least one cannabis user, and for the several I know, they still feel as though they are unable to come out of the cannabis closet, as fear of ridicule and uneducated judgement remains a forefront concern. Many people still feel that there is a taboo around the topic, and there was concern that it seemed to be wearing thin before the issue even really had a chance to surface. However, it would appear that this is beginning to change.
Photography professor Ophelia Chong acknowledged that "cannabis users come from all walks of life" (Z, Stone. 2016.) but in an attempt to search for photos to represent this diversity, she quickly found that the medias portrayal of cannabis users consisted predominantly of "sexy girls in skimpy outfits" as being the norm. Therefore Chong set about capturing a series of her own images which she felt more accurately represented the realistic nature and demographic of cannabis users and the circumstances behind the uses. Chong's photographs were varied, showing "millennial women vaping with wine" to "families cooking with cannabis". Heather Hoffman (CEO of Pura Vida) quoted "I love seeing business women and professionals using cannabis, because it shines the truth on cannabis". Such statements are all vital in helping to tear down the negative stereotypes surrounding cannabis use. Chong's images are the first of their kind to appear on stock photo sites as she continues to redefine the stereotypes.
Upon the articles release there were no less than "23,000 downloads for the stock photos", according to Sharda Sekaran, director of communications at Drug Policy Alliance. This highlights how there is an increasing desire to see and have access to images which depict or more accurate and diverse representation of cannabis users. This is where marijuana meets fashion and these two worlds merge. In an article for Fashion Magazine, it was brought to light that in recent years several designers have subtly incorporated their pro-marijuana stances within their collections from "Spring 2015" when Mara Hoffman "wove cannabis leaves across floaty maxi-dresses and trousers" whilst Alexander Wang adorned his "Fall 2016" collection with black and white "pot prints" across several of his garments for a grunge look, as highlighted by C, Agnew.
The versatility and diversity of cannabis users is becoming more apparent in the fashion industry and for Cheryl Shuman, founder of the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club, rebranding the plant as "a luxury good is the focus" effort for this activist, cannabis queen. Embracing her background in luxury eyewear, Shuman adopts celebrity endorsement with the help of her A-List friends such as "Jennifer Anniston and Michelle Pfeiffer". In the age of celebrity culture, this strategic move is helping to not only normalise the use of cannabis through accessories but also promote it as a product worthy of a sophisticated reputation.
David Goldman of Ed Rosenthal Select explained in Vogue that "along as cannabis continues to break out from behind closed doors, the stylisation of its brands will continue to evolve". Fashion has always held the capacity to tackle political and social issues and nurture them as it attempts to bring about the desired change people wish to see in society. Through fashion, the negative connotations that people associate with cannabis could be eradicated, and instead marijuana could be re-invented and acknowledged for it's recreational and medical benefits, across the world- with fashion acting as a supportive platform leading the way in this revolution.
The future of cannabis looks to be an interesting one as fashion brands and activists continue to de-criminalise and normalise the use of cannabis, helping to liberate its users and remove the negative social stigma many deem unjustly associated with it. Who knows, maybe we'll be looking at Versace vape pens and Gucci grinders in the near future?
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