Flashback to the 2000s and many would likely fail to predict that TV personality and home and hospitality business connoisseur Martha Stewart would team up with rapper and cannabis icon Snoop Dogg. But back in 2016, the debut of their VH1 cooking show Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party quickly proved that the two actually make a pretty solid pair.
The collaboration, featuring celebrity guests and combining cooking with other segments, was a hit and showed off the pair’s contrasting but compatible styles. Since then, the duo have extended their partnership beyond the show, carrying on to appear together in commercials and during public events, along with a number of other joint projects.
It seems to be a quality match, pulling in a diverse range of audiences as the pair have genuinely explored their growing friendship over the past handful of years. Now, Stewart and Snoop are back with their latest collaborative project, offering their insights on fashion accessories and the broader industry.
Forbes recently caught up with Stewart for an inside scoop on the pair’s work together and what the future holds, with Stewart referencing that she learns “so much from [Snoop] every time we work together. He taught me about music and business and always gives me a fresh perspective. We both help each other in that way.”
The publication notes the changes within the fashion industry, namely “subdued economic growth and weak consumer confidence globally,” despite projections that the industry is still expected to grow 2% to 4% in 2024. As the industry shifts, one rising trend is the fusion of lifestyle brands looking toward functionality and style, reflecting consumer preferences looking toward practicality as well as aesthetics in their fashion accessories.
This could be particularly relevant as it pertains to cannabis and those in the cannabis community—in this case creating a unique in for Snoop and Stewart to explore.
“It’s no secret that Snoop and I need a lighter for many activities, so… when BIC approached us for this project, it was an easy yes. Why not make lighters a fashion statement together?” Stewart said.
The pair’s latest venture is Best Buds Bags, a crossbody bag collection sold in partnership with BIC. The launch, announced in November 2023, includes bags crafted from genuine Italian leather in two styles: one cylindrical champagne clutch-style purse and another color-blocked purple piece. A BIC Instagram post explains that each also comes with a custom latch “to keep your lighter from being ‘borrowed.’”
“With the … lighter acting as the latch that opens the bag, my lighter is easily accessible and doesn’t get lost at the bottom of my purse,” she said, highlighting the detailed process that goes into the design for the products.
In line with some of the shifting trends in the broader fashion space, Stewart told Forbes that she wanted to create an accessory that was “both fashionable and functional.” The bags act as an initial taste for what’s to come, with Stewart expecting to launch her BIC EZ Reach Lighters collection later this year, set to feature “beautiful patterns and colors that are chic and minimalistic,” she shared.
Stewart also touched on her ongoing collaboration with Snoop as a reflection of a greater cultural shift, namely a more mainstream acceptance of cannabis. The pair have helped to create some of this change themselves through their work, with Stewart highlighting some of the nods toward cannabis culture in working with BIC.
“Snoop and I have been working with BIC on campaigns that wink to this cultural shift in cheeky ways, like our first ‘Pass It’ spot and ‘Most Borrowed’ ads with Willie Nelson last year. We’ve always had so much fun working… on these projects and the response has always been great,” she said.
Stewart highlighted the impact of celebrities on influencing trends, saying that she wants to ensure “what I’m promoting is genuine,” predicting that the world of cannabis-related products and accessories will likely expand with further celebrity endorsements—just as celebrities have historically influenced the fashion industry.
In reflection of the new product line, she said that the overall consumer reception is exceeding expectations, as the Best Buds Bags sold out within the first 48 hours of their launch. It appears that Stewart and Snoop are on the right track focusing on cannabis and fashion, and Stewart nodded toward future fun with the rapper as they trek ahead when Forbes asked about who she’d like to share a joint with.
“I’d certainly enjoy some… ‘baking’ with Snoop.”
