From stoner chic to runway ready, cannabis couture is smokin’ hot

The cannabis world is blazing a new trail when it comes to fashion.

Gone are the days of tie-dye T-shirts, hemp necklaces and the tired stoner chic of yesteryear.

Now, the world of marijuana fashion is stepping up its game, swapping patchy flannel for sleek streetwear and boho beads for high-fashion bling.

Whether it’s bold runway looks inspired by leafy greens or luxury fashion brands collaborating with high-end businesses, cannabis couture is on the rise, and it’s smokin’ hot.

“Fashion at its best is representative of what’s happening in culture,” said Brett Heyman, founder and creative director of New York-based lifestyle brand Edie Parker as well as the founder of Flower by Edie Parker, her marijuana brand.

“It speaks volumes when traditional fashion players embrace cannabis the way they are.”

Heyman keeps the Edie Parker lifestyle company, started in 2010, separate from her marijuana company, which she launched in 2019.

“We have a separate LLC because of the payment processor issues and the tax issues,” she explained.

And you can use a credit card to purchase goods such as Edie Parker’s handbags – Lady Gaga wore one of the designer’s clutches on the red carpet at the 2019 Golden Globes.

The latest versions are designed with cannabis users in mind, complete with a lighter affixed to the outside of the bags.

The way marijuana businesses structure their merchandise divisions varies.

Dazed, for example, developed its line of cannabis apparel at the same time it was launching its cannabis stores in Massachusetts and New York.

Although it doesn’t have separate entities for its marijuana business and apparel line, the company felt that creating a high-end clothing label was important to its brand identity.

“We wanted to distinguish ourselves from just having branded merchandise to doing clothing,” said Chris Vianello, an owner of the Massachusetts-based company.

Apparel sales don’t account for much of Dazed’s business, but customers who visit the stores to buy cannabis are sometimes inspired to purchase a piece of clothing.

Socks are among the most popular of the Dazed offerings in terms of numbers sold, and its pricier vintage-style letterman jackets and Air Force-inspired flight jackets are starting to take off.

Dazed recently partnered with Stache Co, a Connecticut-headquartered brand that features concealed, odor-proof pockets in its hoodies and T-shirts.

Vianello said the brand’s goal is to reach non-cannabis consumers, much like merchandise from mainstream businesses such as Bass Pro Shops has reached consumers who aren’t anglers.

“You see guys and girls wearing these hats, and they’re not necessarily fishermen,” Vianello said.

“That iconic (Bass Pro) hat and logo took on its own meaning and life and has its life outside the fishing world.

“We hope to develop something like that.”

Dazed also participated in New York Fashion Week, driving people from party to party in a van that had “Free Weed” emblazoned on the side.

Inside the van, the company showcased some of its Dazed clothing and accessories.

“There really wasn’t free weed, but we got a crazy amount of attention,” Vianello said.

“It was our way of dipping our toes into that world.”

Las Vegas-based Planet 13 Holdings chose a different strategy for its lifestyle brand.

Planet 13 Lifestyles is a separate company than the plant-touching Planet 13 business.

Because it’s a separate entity, Planet 13 Lifestyles has access to banking, the ability to transport merchandise across state lines and the freedom to advertise on social media and traditional marketing platforms.

“It’s not a cannabis business, so there are no restrictions around marketing sales, credit card use or banking,” said Lee Fraser, Planet 13’s chief administration officer.

“We are using the Planet 13 brand we created to sell apparel.”

Planet 13 recognized that it had become a nationally recognized brand and wanted to take it a step further and create a household name.

Most of its apparel sales were through its brick-and-mortar stores, but the company saw a greater opportunity with online sales.

“Nothing beats the size and scale of being able to sell online,” said Fraser, who was behind Warner Bros.’ worldwide Harry Potter tour and the opening of the Harry Potter retail stores. “We’re starting to see the fruits of this pay off in a big way.

“What we didn’t anticipate is we started taking orders internationally. We’re selling merch in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Canada and the U.K.”

Other companies choose to leave the merchandise side of their business to third parties such as celebrity brand licensing house Carma HoldCo.

Legendary boxer Mike Tyson, professional wrestler Ric Flair and multiplatinum rapper Future all have cannabis brands that fall under the Carma umbrella.

“We license our celebrity IP (intellectual property) artwork and design graphics to cannabis companies,” Carma CEO Adam Wilks said.

“We have leather bags, blue jeans – everything wearable – and accessories.”

Binske, an award-winning luxury cannabis brand, recently launched a line of streetwear in collaboration with Los Angeles fashion brand L’equip.

The high-end Le Binske apparel line – think jeans that sell for $408 – doesn’t have cannabis leaves adorning its clothing.

Instead, its designs feature the distinctive artwork of birds, flowers and butterflies found on its packaging.

“I don’t want to wear a shirt that has cannabis leaves on it,” Binske President Alex Pasternack said. “It’s not a good look, in my opinion.

“The imagery we use for packaging is on the clothes. It’s super subtle connectivity to the cannabis side of things.

“If you know, you know.”

Pasternack said the company is considering offering some of the clothing in retail outlets where its cannabis products are sold.

Binske also is planning to work with influencers and bloggers to promote the line and might participate in New York Fashion Week.

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Offering apparel is much more than gaining name recognition.

It’s a way for cannabis companies to protect the brands they’ve created, said attorney Brandon Dorsky, who specializes in intellectual property.

“Being engaged in the sale of something lawful and getting typical brand protections – trademark rights – gives you some control over its use,” said Dorsky, who also founded the California-based edibles brand Fruit Slabs.

“If you have a different business that makes and sells clothing items, that’s a legal business. You’re allowed to sell clothes in every state.

“If you want to build a brand, it has to be anchored in something that’s legal to sell across state lines. Marijuana is not.”

Gia Morón, who advises cannabis companies on brand strategy, said branded merchandise can play a key component in a marijuana business’ marketing efforts.

She points to companies such as rapper Berner’s Cookies brand.

In addition to becoming a widely recognized cannabis brand, Cookies has launched a clothing line that includes socks and underwear.

“There’s a growing subsector in the industry that will one day make a bigger mark in cannabis,” Morón said, “and I believe fashion and apparel will be it.”

Margaret Jackson can be reached at margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com.