The e-cigarette just got a whole new look
One of the things I love about fashion is that it is always evolving with the culture that we live in. One can easily denote certain fashion styles to certain time periods. A big question in fashion is, what’s next? As consumers, we envision future style and tech to look space age and work with us instead of against us. Now-a-days we are all about street wear and functional wear, adding a sense of modernity to everything we do. Everything must be accessible, quick and easy.
Recently, there has been a spike in the amount of people choosing to Juul instead of smoking cigarettes. Not forgetting about the people who have never smoked cigarettes before, but are looking for a quick fix like the common “smoke break”. Designers have quickly taken notice of this trend and are acting accordingly. 2019 has just begun and before we can even hope to leave e-cigarettes behind in 2018, vape conscious clothing have hit the market.
However, personalizing an e-cigarette is not new. Teens are able to purchase skins for their Juul which stick to the entire exterior and can have any design possible from fake designer Louie Vuitton logos to a colorful gradient design. What the skin does is make your Juul recognizable, which is extremely important when everyone around you has the same grey flash drive shaped item in their hands. Bottom line, its easy to lose and even easier to become addictive.
Designers have been adjusting their products to fit phones with small cross bodies meant solely for a large iPhone on the go and fanny packs situated front and center, ideal for easy access. Now with a new commodity taking up precious hand real estate we turn to pockets, more and more pockets.
Dae Lim, designer of street label, Sundae School, has the right idea for this. Lim already has an eye for “smoke wear” themed styles that come equipped with cannabis graphics and “high-school drop out” quotes. They focus on high-quality fabrics, functionality and a touch of humor. Their most recent pieces have small pockets specifically made for holding a Juul whether it be on a hoodie, jacket, belt or hat, they’ve got it covered.
The brand is targeting the skate, smoker crowd with this new line. Because of the shock/humor factor, there is a high possibility of attracting a new cosmopolitan recreational smoker crowd who aren’t as keen to smoking weed, but are fans of the e-cigarette. Dae Lim has insight into the addictive effects of the Juul along with the stigma surrounding it and took that as a chance to capitalize on. Is it entirely ethical? Probably not, but so far seems to be a success. The Juul and other vapes have become trendy amongst celebrities, models and teens and are opening not only Lim’s eyes to new style advancements, but other brands as well. They’ve already positioned themselves on the runway and in the popular store, Opening Ceremony. Other brands have created wallet chain cases for the Juul and pure gold cases that mimic the look of skins, but at a whole new level. These cases are hoping to achieve the same vintage touch that cigarette boxes and gold lighters had in the 1920’s.
These Juul accessories were made mainly as an outlet to add even more excitement and functionality to an everyday wardrobe. They make Juuling even more convenient all while bringing back the “mystic coolness” associated with smoking decades back.
There are some strengths in the decision to design for vaping, such as recognizing how endless the vape culture is and later being able to grab your audience from that pool. Also being able to be one of the first to corner the market with vape conscious clothing that users will be itching to get their hands on. I have never heard of the brand Sundae School until now which further proves that if you are not taking a stand for one thing then you are nothing. I think many other people will take notice to this brand after coming across some of the new press for it. Some weaknesses are that it can be taken as a joke pretty quickly. While some are confident in their vaping choices, others are not as proud and may not want to advertise it by wearing it on their sleeve. It can also serve as a pointless pocket for those who like a certain piece from the brand but do not smoke. There could be easy backlash against the brands since they are promoting the use of vaping and making it more accessible.
In my personal opinion, I think the brands made a smart move. While I do not smoke, I can see how this would be exciting for e-cigarette users. I’m all for any brand that takes the current state of society and meshes it into clothing. It is important to take risks, especially in fashion. While vaping gains speed I’ll be here watching from afar in my sweatpants, another item of clothing that doesn’t promote the healthiest of activities.
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