Fashion shows are a spectacle of over-the-top creativity, where designers push boundaries with outlandish designs—the perfect set for flamboyant cannabis brands to make a statement. At New York Fashion Week 2025 (NYFW), two standout brands, Pinks and Flamer, turned heads with their signature pink and red prerolls, blending cannabis culture with fashion and self-expression.
Fronted by passionate founders whose values and personalities are the face of their brands, they celebrate and advocate for LGBTQI+ pride, civil rights, girl power, and social change, encouraging people to be unapologetic about who they are or what they stand for.
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Pinks: cannabis meets canna couture
At just 25 years old, Ali Bianco, the founder of Pinks, is a fearless creative with a lust for life, making waves not only as a cannabis entrepreneur but also as a singer, songwriter, and pianist. Last year, she released her debut album, Hush Money Talks, showcasing her artistic range beyond cannabis. Her can-do spirit, flair for high fashion, and girly pop persona are at the heart of the Pinks brand, making it as bold and expressive as she is.
Bianco’s connection to cannabis goes back to high school, where she first developed a deep appreciation for weed strains while also dealing in an upscale New Jersey suburb. When launching Pinks, she carefully selected Pink Runtz and Pinks Mimosa, both wrapped in rose petals for an added touch of elegance. Every design detail of her product line reflects her vision, from glass-tip rose petal prerolls in chic pink cases, flower packaged in soft velvet bags, and a wooden rolling tray styled like a jewelry box, complete with a built-in mirror.
Describing her brand as “canna couture,” Bianco explains, “There’s an elegance in rolling up, lighting up, and fully embracing the moment. Pinks isn’t just another preroll; it’s a canna culture experience.”
For NYFW 2025, Bianco hosted an exclusive Pinks launch party at the legendary Limelight nightclub, a former church-turned-disco known for its wild 90s nightlife.
“Pinks celebrates creativity, community, and self-expression. We’re bringing together two powerful worlds—fashion and cannabis—to create a night of luxury, connection, and inspiration,” she stated in the event’s press release.
The invite-only affair welcomed press, influencers, and dispensary buyers to an immersive evening featuring a fashion show showcasing Pinks accessory line, a performance by recording artist Bianca Raquel, and models confidently strutting the runway with Pinks‘ prerolls.
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Flamer: a statement of pride and activism
Flamer is a preroll brand born out of New York City’s queer community, where smoking and sharing a joint is a big part of the culture—founded by three activists who have marched, demonstrated, and organized events to stand up for diverse causes. Cannabis and the LGBTQI+ rights movements have long been intertwined, from the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s, when cannabis provided relief to patients, to modern-day advocacy for social justice. The Flamer ethos is about being incredibly inclusive of everyone and allowing unapologetic self-expression.
For NYFW 2025, Flamer took an unconventional marketing approach, positioning its red preroll as a fashion statement rather than just a product. While last year they sponsored Yannick Zimboni’s runway show, this year they focused on infiltrating fashion’s most exclusive afterparties. Their strategy? Get their signature red prerolls into the hands of fashion insiders, stylists, and cultural influencers—people who shape trends and conversations.
Co-founder Matías Alvial, a noted nightlife photographer, leveraged his industry connections to gain access to high-profile soirées, where the Flamer team and their brand ambassadors blanketed events, flaunting their red prerolls. One standout event was Von’s “LABOR” performance and album release party. The Brooklyn-based DJ, musician, and experimental artist is known for immersive performances timed with Fashion Week, and this year was no exception. Flamer made its presence known with a brand ambassador sporting a custom Flamer-branded outfit, acting as both an attention-getter and conversation starter.
“Something very fundamental to Flamer is that we love working with people who are already doing really cool stuff,“ said Flamer co-founder Wyatt Harms.
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Reflecting on this year’s Fashion Week, Harms noted a shift in trends:
“The fashion trend in the past few years has been more about quiet luxury, not about being showy. I think this Fashion Week moved in the other direction—it was way more expressive, with louder fabrics allowing for more personal creativity.”
As a queer-owned brand, Flamer thrives on self-expression, making its presence at Fashion Week a natural fit.
Cannabis and fashion: a perfect pair
With cannabis culture and fashion intersecting in bold new ways, brands like Pinks and Flamer prove that cannabis is more than just a product—it’s a lifestyle, a statement, and a form of self-expression. NYFW 2025 showcased that today’s cannabis brands are evolving beyond dispensary shelves, integrating into high fashion, nightlife, and cultural movements.
As the industry continues to break stigmas, expect to see more cannabis brands embracing the runway, the red carpet, and the world of luxury fashion—because style and self-expression go hand in hand with lighting up.