Independent fashion designer and entrepreneur, Korto Momolu, created a show that reflected the ‘mood’ of the women leading the cannabis industry.
The bold vision of the Project Runway alum was displayed in a partnership with Women Grow, the biggest professional network of women working in the cannabis and hemp arena.
However, it’s not in the manner you might typically expect from cannabis-inspired clothing. There was no tie-dye or green cannabis leaves on display but rather an elegant and sophisticated style. Models puffed on dazzling CBD vape pens that were bedecked with pearls and rhinestones while walking on the runway.
Momolu’s ‘ready to wear’ clothing designs are inspired by her African roots and are made for fashion-forward women. Hemp is a unique fabric for Momolu and she uses it in conjunction with other sustainable materials.
“We are incorporating hemp and jute, linen, cork…sustainable fabrics. But then we have brocade and sequins and really pretty pieces that we're just kind of putting together just to show another view of it [cannabis], to show what cannabis [as an industry] looks like,” said Momolu.
All the designs were created by Momolu out of her studio in Little Rock, Arkansas. She hopes that in the future she can produce capsule collections for major department stores, as well as high-end boutiques and corporate partners like Women Grow.
Inclusion
Just last June Momolu and Women Grow hosted a small show in Washington D.C. at the company’s annual summit. The partnership was born from CEO and chairwoman, Dr Chanda Macis’s admiration of Korto Momolu. Dr Macias pitched the designer a simple idea: ‘Could high fashion bring together women working in cannabis and also serve as a unique way to invite female professionals from other fields to consider jumping in, too?’
“I want to be a catalyst for change, not only for the plant itself but also for the women, economically [to show them] how it can empower them, it can inspire them.” said Dr Macias who built a career as a research scientist before launching her business.
“And they can be the next generation of cannabis and hemp leaders. Sometimes we just need that awareness to let them know, ‘This is your calling.’”
Since launching her career, Korto Momolu has been deliberate in her decisions about diversity and body positivity in relation to her model casting. This show will be no different, with inclusion serving as a central theme throughout. Attendees can expect to see models of different shapes, sizes, races, and ethnicities.
“I want everybody to look at the runway and see themselves in these clothes,” said Momolu.
