From Condé Nast to Cannabis | Verena von Pfetten on Culture, Creativity & Copycats

17/10/2025 1h 17min
From Condé Nast to Cannabis | Verena von Pfetten on Culture, Creativity & Copycats

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Episode Synopsis

In this episode, we sit down with Verena von Pfetten, co-founder of Gossamer, the trailblazing magazine and lifestyle brand for people who also smoke weed. Verena shares the story behind launching a brand in a taboo space, and how moments of joy, stillness, and intuition shaped her creative process.

We explore her journey from food media (co-founding The Braiser and writing for Condé Nast Traveler and HuffPost) to reimagining cannabis culture through design, storytelling, and spiritual practice. She opens up about her microdosing regimen, her views on plant medicine, and why she believes weed deserves a more nuanced narrative than the outdated “stoner” stereotype.

Verena also reflects on:

The moment Gossamer was born and why it felt like a risk worth taking

Her spiritual protocols and how meditation fuels creativity

The ups and downs of building a brand in a stigmatized category

Her thoughts on copycats and what it means to manifest with intention

A poetic reflection on Lopez Island, gnomes, and making things quietly and thoughtfully

Follow Verena on:

Instagram:   / gossamer  

Website: https://gossamer.co/

Book recs: Orbital by Samantha Harvey

If you are in NYC, check out Pioneer Works and their endless events: https://pioneerworks.org/https://www.sage-sound.com/blogs/the-...https://themalin.co/journal/gossamer/https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/20...

Thank you to our sponsors, Amelia Risk, and The Big Favorite!

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