Why cigarettes are so prevalent in our media and fashion industry

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Out of all the trends in fashion that have returned, cigarettes were an unexpected candidate. Especially since it is now 2024, a time where you can’t go 10 minutes during a night out without catching a whiff of sickly-sweet vapor from someone’s neon-pink vape. A year where a pack of Marlboro Golds is adorned with images of decaying teeth and costs £15. Asking for a lighter has less romantic implications and is seen more as a plea for assistance.

Despite all indications to the contrary, smoking has made a comeback in popular culture this year. This is evident in the prevalence of cigarettes at London Fashion Week, causing some to speculate if there has been a change in expert opinions on the health consequences or if smoking indoors is now legally permitted (neither of which is true).

During the Edward Crutchley fashion show, models confidently walked down the runway with unlit cigarettes in hand, showcasing them as a prominent accessory for the autumn and winter season of 2024. Taking inspiration from Greek deity Dionysus, also known as the god of wine and indulgence, the collection honored the forgotten art of traditional hedonism with glimmering jacquard fabrics and lace-up shorts made of latex. Surprisingly, the cigarettes became the focal point of the show, as it is not often glorified in present times.

According to Crutchley, there was no significant idea or purpose behind his decision. He simply wanted to inject some lightheartedness into the atmosphere. Surprisingly, the fashion community enthusiastically captured photos of every cigarette and shared them on social media. Despite the lack of intention, this choice unknowingly foreshadowed the trend of incorporating cigarettes into fashion designs. For example, Sinead Gorey’s collection, which drew inspiration from British youth culture, featured models stuffing cigarette packs into their thigh-high Argyle stockings. The overall theme playfully reminisced about the experiences of being young in the early 2000s, with models accessorizing with iPod Nanos and wired headphones.

“We utilized custom-branded cigarettes to emphasize the period between school and the local store during one’s teenage years in Britain,” explains Gorey. “We wanted to incorporate elements such as using keys and lighters to stuff into bras, and tucking cigarette packets into school socks. It was a playful and nostalgic nod to a time that is deeply ingrained in people’s memories.” In the midst of modern fixations on wellness and a preference for a “stealth wealth” aesthetic that prioritizes sleek and minimalist designs, this era seems to be getting farther and farther away. Perhaps this is what has sparked the interest of designers, who are reflecting on the recent past and pondering how we have strayed so far from it in such a short amount of time, and what we may have lost along the way.

Similarly, the situation seemed to be true at Aaron Esh, as well. The designer, who was born in London and graduated from Central Saint Martins, debuted his autumn/winter 2024 collection to much praise from the fashion community. The show featured champagne and a bowl filled with Marlboro Golds for guests. Vogue described the show as evoking images of Kate Moss walking home at 5am in a blurry, dreamlike manner. This immediately brings to mind the countless paparazzi shots of Moss in the early 2000s, smoking and donning midriff-baring tops and oversized Olsen-style sunglasses, reminiscent of Esh’s recent collection. However, this is now a thing of the past, as the famously wild British supermodel recently celebrated her 50th birthday with a sober party and has even launched her own wellness brand, Cosmoss. She is now reportedly only an occasional smoker.

Not only is the fashion industry known for smoking, but it seems that some of the most highly-discussed films of the year also heavily feature smoking. In Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie “Oppenheimer”, which is predicted to win Best Picture at the Oscars next month, lead actor Cillian Murphy has reportedly smoked around 3,000 cigarettes. This number is so significant that Murphy has pledged to play a non-smoking character in his next film. According to The Times, smoking is shown in 137 scenes in the film, and Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” shows cigarettes in 63 scenes and cigars in 58 scenes.

Then there was Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic that sees the revered conductor smoking in practically every single shot. Finally, there was, of course, Saltburn, Emerald Fennell’s polarising satire of the upper classes in which almost every character is a chain-smoking caricature whose default pose is a crystal glass in one hand and a Camel Blue in the other. Fennell explained that she purposely set the film in 2006 because she wanted her characters to be smoking indoors before the nationwide ban came into place in 2007.

Research by Smokefree Media found that the portrayal of smoking in movies has significantly decreased in recent years. While 75% of mainstream films used to show smoking, that number has now dropped to 38%. However, in 2023, the percentage of films featuring smoking increased by 2% compared to the previous year.

TV is no better. HBO’s The Idol featured plenty of scenes of its star Lily-Rose Depp, who smokes in real life, puffing seductively on various cigarettes from scene to scene. Elsewhere, the titular character in Netflix’s hugely popular show, Griselda, is rarely seen without a cigarette dangling from her lips. And let’s not even start listing the long line of celebrity smokers, many of whom are documented fastidiously on the Instagram account @Cigfluencers, which currently boasts 40,000 followers. Regulars include Charli XCX, who was recently photographed smoking a cigarette for The Face, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kaia Gerber, Maisie Williams… and many, many more.

What is the current situation? From recent statistics, it is evident that smoking remains responsible for approximately 70% of all lung cancer cases, resulting in the death of 76,000 people in the UK annually according to the NHS. Furthermore, smoking has negative effects on heart and blood flow, as well as aggravating respiratory issues. In addition, it is also linked to erectile dysfunction. There has been no alteration in any of these facts.

However, there has been a trend towards glorifying smoking in the media and fashion industry, which aligns with an increase in smoking among youth. A recent research conducted by University College London (UCL) in January uncovered a significant rise in smoking among 18- to 24-year-olds in England during the pandemic. Prior to Covid, the overall rate of smoking was declining by 5.2%, but since 2020, the rate has slowed to only 0.3%.

What connects all of these references is not the glorification of a potentially destructive habit. Instead, it is driven by nostalgia and the meaning attached to smoking when reflecting on the past. We can see this trend in the resurgence of Y2K fashion and late 1990s aesthetics, where the lifestyle of these time periods is making a strong comeback in both fashion and social media. Even current beauty trends seem to be influenced by this era, with the popular “Effie from Skins” makeup tutorials (characterized by smudged eyeliner and pale pink lips) appearing frequently on Instagram.

During this period, there was unrestrained disorder, reminiscent of a utopian time before the prevalence of social media. People acted more freely and many also indulged in smoking. However, this does not mean promoting or endorsing cigarettes. It reflects a past era that is no longer possible or current. It is understandable to feel some sadness for its passing.

Source: independent.co.uk