EXCLUSIVE: This Black-Owned Athleisure Brand Is Making It Easier To Live Out Your Wakanda Dreams!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will officially be available to watch in theaters on November 11!
To celebrate the upcoming release of the highly-anticipated movie, Black-owned athleisure brand Actively Black collaborated with Marvel to create a unisex capsule collection of stylish athleisure that will have you ready to live out your Wakanda dreams.
“The opportunity to work alongside the Marvel team and to be a part of the larger Black Panther story is a dream come true,” Actively Black founder Lanny Smith told BET Lifestyle days before the Actively Black x Wakanda Forever launch party in Los Angeles on October 30. “I wanted to recreate that same feeling of empowerment Black people felt after watching Black Panther for the first time.”
The new collection–set to drop on November 3– features several performance shirts, tights, hoodies, joggers, and even an eye-catching varsity jacket. Each piece is emblazoned with official Black Panther artwork, which expertly brings the world of imagination into reality.
“I had a vision to create a collection that would reflect the kind of premium athleisure we would be wearing if we lived in Wakanda,” Smith explained about the creation of Wakanda Athletics, which features both classic collegiate-style designs and high-performance gear.
Smith describes the Wakanda Athletics Classic Collection, which will be available on November 12, as a nod to collegiate style, similar to what you might see on a student or alumni of "Wakanda University."
The Wakanda Athletics Performance Collection, which will be available on Black Friday (Nov. 25), is described by the creative as a "futuristic" and "sleek" way to pay homage to Wakanda's advanced technology and vibranium.
“We also wanted to create a selection of core-merch offerings for customers to wear to see the film in theaters,” Smith shared about the Movie Merch collection, which drops on Thursday (Nov. 3).
“Representation is a powerful vehicle for change,” Smith expressed. “I believe you can’t be what you can’t see. Seeing people who look like you doing great things opens your mind to what is possible. Actively Black represents greatness in our DNA and I hope that our customers feel that sense of pride and empowerment every time they wear this collection.”
FYI: The collections will be available for purchase at activelyblack.com. Sizes range from XS-4XL.
Editor’s Note: This story/interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
