For generations, it’s clear that fashion has consistently seen smoking as an essential aesthetic element. From vivid street styles and underground shoots to high-profile runways and glossy editorials, smoking has been a recurring theme. The 80s with its rock & roll spirit, the 90s goth rebellion, the expressive art of Millennials, and the innovative campaigns of 2010—all reflect a cyclical discourse, with smoking once again crowned as the biggest fashion trend of 2025. Today, it’s more than a statement—it's a marketing tool aimed at captivating newer generations. COP30: Fashion Is a Major Driver of Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest.

Interestingly, the intersection of fashion and smoking remains alive and thriving. How has it stayed relevant beneath the surface? For nearly a century, brands have used smoking imagery—from Balenciaga’s iconic cigarette packaging to Glossier’s customized lighters—as a means of appeal. Young consumers are increasingly inclined toward smoking-related accessories, a trend that brands are capitalizing on with innovative marketing.

The history behind smoking campaigns and their significance underscores their crucial role in public health initiatives.

In recent years, women have embraced smoking publicly more than ever before, but with a twist—they prefer stylish, attractive packaging over the traditional, rugged look. Take Lucky Strike, once notorious for its green and red packaging, which was far from fashionable. That changed when savvy marketers, including Edward Bernays—the father of public relations—and campaign pioneer Lucien Pages, reimagined the brand.

In the early 1900s, Pages launched elaborate campaigns that made green a fashionable color, hosting high-society events in New York—green balls, charity functions, and stylish gatherings—to cement the color’s trendy status. Bernays famously orchestrated the 1929 "Torches of Freedom" campaign, which linked smoking to female emancipation. By organizing women to publicly smoke during the Easter Parade, they challenged social norms and transformed cigarettes into symbols of female empowerment. This bold move shattered existing taboos and established smoking as a symbol of modernity—an identity that resonates even today with new generations viewing it as a form of stylish expression. Fashion Giants Are Dominating the Art Collaboration Scene, Delivering Unmatched Value for Money.

Today’s luxury brands—YSL, Vogue, Dunhill, Davidoff—continue this legacy with exclusive packaging and a variety of flavors and fragrances, proving that the marketing gimmick of smoking has endured for decades, seamlessly weaving itself into the fabric of fashion and culture. From rebellious roots to high-end allure, smoking remains a powerful, stylish statement in the ever-evolving world of fashion.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 08, 2025 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).