The Fusion of Vaping and Fashion: How Electronic Cigarettes Are Reshaping Runway Aesthetics
Vaping as a High-Fashion Accessory: From Runway to Street Style
The runway has long been a laboratory for bold, avant-garde statements, and vaping devices have quietly infiltrated this space as unexpected accessories. Designers have begun incorporating vaping pens into their shows, not as functional items but as extensions of a model’s ensemble. For instance, during a 2023 Paris Fashion Week show, a model walked the catwalk with a sleek, metallic vaping device dangling from a chain around her neck, paired with a futuristic, deconstructed blazer. The device’s minimalist design and matte finish complemented the outfit’s monochromatic palette, blurring the line between utility and ornamentation.
Street style photographers have also captured this trend, documenting fashion enthusiasts who treat vaping devices as statement pieces. At music festivals and urban gatherings, attendees often coordinate their vaping gear with their outfits, opting for devices in bold colors or with customizable LED lights that match their shoes or jewelry. This practice transforms vaping from a personal habit into a public display of aesthetic cohesion, reinforcing its role as a cultural signifier.
The rise of “vape couture” has even led to collaborations between fashion designers and tech innovators. In 2024, a London-based designer partnered with a materials scientist to create a biodegradable vaping device encased in recycled plastic, which debuted at a sustainable fashion exhibition. The project highlighted how vaping can align with eco-conscious values, appealing to audiences who prioritize both style and ethics.
The Visual Language of Vapor: Light, Color, and Motion on the Runway
Vaping’s appeal in fashion extends beyond the devices themselves to the visual spectacle they create. Designers have experimented with vapor as a dynamic element in their shows, using it to enhance storytelling or evoke specific moods. During a 2025 Milan Fashion Week presentation, a designer released scented vapor into the air as models walked, creating an immersive experience that paired fragrance with fabric textures. The vapor’s ethereal quality mirrored the collection’s focus on fluidity and transformation, turning a simple act into a performance art piece.
Color plays a crucial role in this visual language. Vaping devices now come in hues that rival high-end makeup palettes, from neon pastels to metallic gradients. At a 2024 New York Fashion Week event, a model exhaled vapor in a shade matching her lipstick, drawing attention to the harmony between her beauty routine and her accessory choices. This synchronization of color schemes underscores vaping’s potential as a tool for self-expression, allowing users to curate their appearance down to the smallest detail.
Motion is another key element. The act of exhaling vapor has been choreographed into dance routines and fashion films, adding a kinetic layer to static images. A 2025 short film by a French director featured models vaping in slow motion, their breath forming delicate clouds that interacted with flowing fabrics. The footage, set to an electronic soundtrack, positioned vaping as a metaphor for freedom and creativity, appealing to audiences drawn to experimental aesthetics.
Vaping’s Influence on Beauty and Grooming Trends
The relationship between vaping and fashion isn’t limited to accessories—it’s also reshaping beauty and grooming routines. Makeup artists have begun incorporating vaping-inspired elements into their work, using shimmering highlighters to mimic the glow of a vaping device’s LED lights or creating “vapor-effect” eyeshadow that fades from one color to another. At a 2024 beauty expo, a booth demonstrated how to achieve a “dewy vape look” using hydrating sprays and iridescent powders, framing the act of vaping as a source of inspiration rather than a habit.
Hair styling has also embraced vaping’s aesthetic. Hairstylists at a 2025 London hair show used vapor machines to create temporary waves and curls, arguing that the gentle heat and moisture mimicked the effects of traditional styling tools without damaging hair. This technique, dubbed “vapor styling,” quickly gained traction among eco-conscious consumers looking for sustainable alternatives to chemical-laden products.
Even skincare has been affected. Brands have launched “vape-friendly” moisturizers designed to counteract the dehydrating effects of nicotine, packaging them in sleek, portable tubes that resemble vaping devices. These products blur the lines between wellness and vanity, appealing to consumers who view self-care as an extension of their fashion identity.
The Globalization of Vaping’s Fashion Identity
While vaping’s fashion integration began in Western metropolises, it has since spread to global hubs like Tokyo, Seoul, and Dubai, each adding its own cultural twist. In Tokyo, for example, designers have fused vaping devices with traditional Japanese aesthetics, creating ceramic-encased pens inspired by tea ceremony utensils. These pieces, displayed in art galleries alongside calligraphy and ikebana, recontextualize vaping as a bridge between ancient traditions and modern technology.
In Seoul, K-pop idols have been photographed vaping in music videos and fan meetings, sparking a trend among young fans who emulate their favorite stars’ styles. Vaping lounges in the city’s Gangnam district have become social hotspots, where patrons discuss fashion trends over custom-flavored vapor blends. The scene reflects a broader cultural shift, where vaping is less about nicotine and more about status and belonging.
Dubai’s luxury market has taken a different approach, positioning vaping as a high-end indulgence. At a 2025 fashion gala, guests were given gold-plated vaping devices as part of their gift bags, alongside designer perfumes and silk scarves. The gesture underscored vaping’s evolving perception—from a countercultural symbol to a marker of opulence, aligning it with the city’s reputation for excess and innovation.
Vaping’s journey from niche accessory to fashion staple reveals its adaptability as a cultural icon. By embracing its visual, sensory, and social dimensions, designers and consumers alike have transformed it into a medium for self-expression, creativity, and connection. As fashion continues to evolve, so too will the stories we tell through vaping, ensuring its place in the global style lexicon for years to come.