“A joint venture”
Cannabis legalization has opened up a world of possibility when it comes to paraphernalia design, and Canadian creatives are at the forefront of exploring the potential for what pot-centric accessories could look like.
Ellie Mae Waters, the Toronto-based fashion designer whose retro-tinged pieces have been worn by the Hadid sisters, Mila Kunis and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, just launched a ‘joint venture’ with décor company COFO, which sees their interpretations of an ashtray, grinder and doob come to life. “We tried to take both of our brands and put them into three different things, which was way harder than I thought it was going to be,” Waters tells FASHION. “You’re so used to working with your own brand guidelines, and it just becomes second nature.”
Fans of the Ellie Mae aesthetic might be surprised by the muted tones and minimalist aesthetic of the collaboration’s direction, since her pieces are known for having bold colour palettes and eclectic prints and patterns. “[COFO] is definitely minimal, and our stuff is not,” Waters says, adding that the project was an exercise in conceptual liberty for her. “It was cool to put my creative brain in a different direction.”
The cannabis collection retains an industrial-chic tone thanks to the use of materials like concrete, brass and walnut wood, and the grinder has a particularly amusing angle to it in that it wobbles from side to side thanks to its rounded base. “It’s so much fun to look at it when you’re a little high,” Waters laughs.
This “good vibes only” approach was central to the creation of the collection, and the partnership between COFO and Ellie Mae keeps on rolling. In tandem with the cannabis accessory launch, the two brands have opened a new concept store in Toronto’s Stackt Market, with all fixtures and furniture designed by COFO and Ellie Mae’s whimsical clothing lining the racks.