On Saturday, September 7th, Liberian fashion designer and Project Runway runner-up Korto Momolu made waves in the fashion industry through her cross-disciplinary collaboration with one of the main authorities on the cannabis industry, Women Grow. The powerful female team – with her clothes inspired by their trademark – put on the first-ever event in Fashion Week history where haute couture met cannabis.
The show, itself, took place at Pier 59 Studios in the outskirts of Chelsea, a seemingly ordinary, if not atypical, venue that ultimately opens up to a glamorous scene decorated with flowers and lights. The showroom itself was arranged to allow for two aisles, where onlookers sat back to back, making it difficult to see the models initially from certain seats until they made their way around the corner.
The guests were the pinnacle of glam: each and every one of them had something refreshing and remarkable to offer to the world of style. For some, it was leopard print, stretching from head to toe, or, more specifically, hat to shoes. In contrast, others played it safer with classic and classy black-tie attire.
The clothes were made from sustainable and environmentally conscious materials, most notably hemp. Models of all shapes and sizes strutted down the aisles in ballgowns and backpacks. Many accessorized with cannabis-inspired detailing, some wearing marijuana leaf jewelry, designed by Genifer M., while others carried vapes, gracefully drawing from them as they glided through the crowd of onlookers. A delightful balance of earth tones and neutral tones made up the collection, accented by glitter and gold and bold smokey eyes.
The afterparty featured a CBD (Cannabidiol) dab bar to which guests could escape the chaotic extravagance to indulge in a more soothing experience.
Aside from being a pioneer of the up and coming “cannabis meets couture” trend, the event also upheld a long-standing goal of the cannabis industry: to debunk the common prejudices and skepticisms held by many Americans about cannabis and replace them with a renewed understanding of the plant as not only a sustainably sourced product but a natural solution to many of the ills of life.
It was also an important opportunity for women, especially black women, in both the cannabis and fashion industry to demonstrate their work and passion through a medium that specifically caters to women supporting other women.
All things considered, we are confident that the Korto Momolu x Women Grow event accomplished its goal of not only innovation within the fashion industry but redefinition within the cannabis industry through, what would likely have been an unexpected pairing even just a few years ago, what is now, evidently after Saturday, a harmonious and complementary union.
