Meet the Designer Behind the "Black Panther 2" Collection Everyone's Wearing

POPSUGAR: Tell us the story behind how your brand came to be.

Lanny Smith: I am a former professional basketball player. I played college basketball at the University of Houston and went on to sign with the Sacramento Kings in 2009. Thirty-three days after signing my first NBA contract, I suffered a knee injury that ended my entire career. After my injury, I transitioned into the world of entrepreneurship and began developing my first brand, Active Faith Sports, in partnership with Steph Curry and Anthony Tolliver. We officially launched Active Faith Sports in 2012, a brand offering high-quality sports apparel designed with faith-based messaging.

Following the success of Active Faith and seeing firsthand the impact we had on the faith-based community, I was inspired to create a brand that would have a similar impact on the larger Black community. I announced Actively Black on Juneteenth 2020. Actively Black officially launched Black Friday, Nov. 26, 2020.

PS: How did you come up with the name Actively Black, and what's its significance to you?

LS: Actively Black is a play on words and serves two purposes for our brand. First, we want to create space for Black people to be unapologetically Black and to be an active part of the larger Black community, to actively embrace their Blackness.

And as a sports fashion brand, we also want to promote and encourage healthier lifestyle choices that include regular physical activity and healthy nutrition. Black communities around the world suffer disproportionately from life-threatening illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, etc. — and largely preventable conditions linked to nutrition and physical activity. It is our belief that by educating the youth, providing resources, and creating pathways for our communities, [we can] drive real and meaningful change.

PS: What aspects of the Black Panther story and message resonate most with you?

LS: Wakanda is a symbol of Black excellence, innovation, and ownership, both on and off the screen — the Black Panther franchise represents one of the biggest moments of the diaspora coming together. As a brand founded on self-sufficiency and rooted in the mission to unify and reinvest in the Black community, those Wakandan principles are reflected in our brand identity and core values. Black designers and creators serve as a blueprint, we move culture forward, we innovate and set the trends, but we don't reap the full benefit of our genius. Actively Black is not asking for a seat at the table; we built our own.

PS: What do you hope people feel when they wear pieces from the Wakanda Athletics collection?

LS: I remember the feeling of pride after seeing the movie for the first time, and in creating Actively Black, it has always been important to me that our brand emulate that feeling for our customers and community.

The introduction of this collection takes that feeling one step further — moviegoers can experience the work of revolutionary Black talent on the big screen, while also wearing clothes that are not only designed by a Black-owned brand but are also a representation of Black style and culture and greatness. Even beyond this static moment, this collection will serve as a constant reminder of the greatness in our DNA every time we wear the brand and this collection for years to come.

Unisex Wakanda Athletics Collection Hoodie ($95)

Women's Wakanda Athletics Classic Sports Bra ($45) and Classic Biker Shorts ($55)

3D Embroidered Panther Performance Hat ($40)

Wakanda Athletics Classic Shorts ($70)

Unisex Wakanda Athletics Crewneck ($90) and Wakanda Athletics Joggers ($90)

Unisex Wakanda Athletics Classic Varsity Jacket ($300)