Cannabis has long influenced music, art, television, and fashion, with designers increasingly embracing weed-inspired aesthetics in recent years.
The worlds of weed and haute couture collided at last week’s Smokin’ On The Runway event in Minneapolis. The unique event is part fashion show, part sesh, complete with bold looks, dab bars, and plenty of creativity.
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Smokin’ On The Runway (SOTR) is the brainchild of Duol Chut, who has previous experience producing events for Black Fashion Week. He was brought into the fashion fold by his cousin, an apparel designer. Chut also happens to have a cannabis brand called Diesel J’s.
Chut created SOTR in 2023, mere weeks after Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis. The vision was to fuse “high” fashion with Minnesota’s emerging cannabis industry while creating a platform for local creators, models, designers, brands, and educators.
“I was biased,” Chut laughed. “I wanted to showcase my brand and the brands of my friends.”
And while there was plenty of cannabis to go around, organizers stressed that not every look had to be 420-friendly. Meanwhile, not every vendor had to be fashion or plant-forward. Instead, SOTR is for anyone who appreciates cannabis, design, art, food—or all of the above.
“I love the reviews (of the event),” Chut said. “People are like, ‘this is my favorite fashion show, I haven’t had this experience before, I can’t wait to come back.’”
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The most recent SOTR was held at the consumption-friendly venue The Hook and Ladder Theater. Models walked the runway rocking looks from five unique brands. Collections ranged from African-inspired accessories and trending streetwear to ethereal gowns and elaborate nail art.
Many of the models had nods to cannabis in their looks. Some had pot leaf necklaces while others strutted down the aisle with joints in their hands. Others had no plant insignia whatsoever. But it didn’t matter—each model was met with loud hoots and hollers from the enthusiastic crowd.
In addition to the diversity among the designs, the models themselves were refreshingly inclusive. The show exuded body positivity, with people of all shapes and sizes bringing their all. It was an incredibly inspiring and exuberant affair, by all accounts.
On the patio, a dab bar served guests terp-rich rosin while chefs whipped up fresh wood-fired pizzas. Vendors represented a wide swath of local businesses, including custom ashtrays, non-infused baked goods, upcycled clothing, plant educators, and local cannabis brands.
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It was a wonderful mix of tables, and precisely what organizers were going for: a world where the collaboration of fashion and cannabis serves as a powerful catalyst for self-expression, creativity, and advocacy.
Chut hopes his event helps catapult cannabis to the forefront, especially as plant-based textiles reenter conversations about sustainable fashion. Hemp fabrics have regained attention in fashion circles, though they remain far from mainstream.
“They had cannabis at New York Fashion Week back in 2017, so this has been something that has been thought about, but never truly accepted and prioritized. It’s something we’re trailblazing here,” Chut concluded.
