Leading up to 4/20, a day that has become an internationally recognized celebration of cannabis, billboards popped up all around the U.S. from Edie Parker Flower. The cannabis leg of designer Brett Heyman’s cult accessories label Edie Parker, the brand rolled out a multi-state campaign across NYC, Chicago, LA, Boston, and more.

The campaign holds extra relevance as the conversation around the legalization of cannabis heats up around the country. Federal and state leaders can’t seem to reach a consensus over the legality of the substance, as debates over the criminalization and commercialization rages on.

Heyman has been an early pioneer in the space. Founded in 2019, her line offers a wide range of cannabis accouterments – smoke pipes, rolling papers, vape pens, grinder cases, lighters, and more. She remains one of the few female leaders in this space, and one of the few fashion houses to dive into this area. The early start positions her for success as the world begins to embrace legalization. Titled “Weed’s Come a Long Way, Baby,” the campaign celebrates the liberation of cannabis and the everchanging perception of its culture –– with bold imagery that references the iconic old Virginia Slim ad that challenged the zeitgeist of the American women at the time.

In celebration of 4/20, we caught up with the CFDA member to hear more about her brand.

It’s now been a few years since launching the cannabis leg of your brand. Do you remember the initial reaction when you started?

We had a few puzzled responses, but for the most part, the reactions have been wildly positive. We find that customers are extremely curious about cannabis and are excited about buying cannabis from a brand they know and trust. The people who don’t want cannabis still appreciate our smoking accessories, particularly our glass fruit pipes.

How has the label grown since then? Has anything surprised you? 

Because cannabis is still not federally legal, launching in new states is much more complicated than it sounds. It’s not like a handbag that can be sold in Miami and shipped to Colorado. We launched as a California brand, but our focus is now in more emerging legal markets east of the Mississippi. We are sold in dispensaries in IL, MA, with MI and NJ slated for this year. Our accessories however are sold in traditional retailers and dispensaries nationally.

What are your thoughts around the current debate around legalization of cannabis? And how do you navigate this conversation while trying to expand your business?

It’s extremely disappointing how slowly we are moving towards federal legalization despite wide bipartisan support. There are so many reasons why cannabis should be legal – most notably, it’s a plant. In all the states where cannabis has been legalized for medical or recreational use, opioid prescriptions have gone down. Nobody has ever died of a cannabis overdose. In the states where recreational cannabis is legal – New York as an example – politicians are well-intentioned in making up for some of the terrible consequences of cannabis prohibition on communities of color. However, unless the SAFE act passes – the very least that the government could do in terms of cannabis reform – people have no access to banks. You cannot use a credit card or get a loan for cannabis. So while operating licenses are being awarded to those who are most deserving, that is really only half of the battle.

Congratulations on the new campaign! Why were Richie, Faith, and Fifanny the right stars for this? 

 Thank you! Well, first of all, because they are all amazing creatives and awesome ladies. But, most importantly, they openly consume and enjoy cannabis.

Where do you see the intersection of cannabis and fashion headed in the future? 

At its best, fashion is a reflection of the time. The mood of the culture shows up in the clothes we wear. In my opinion, cannabis is what is happening now. The nascent industry will be a huge job creator, an important tax and revenue generator, and extremely critical for social justice reform. Creative people will be drawn to the movement and put their stamp on cannabis culture and everything that surrounds it.

edieparkerflower.com 

@edieparkerflower