Posted by Actively Black
on September 25, 2026
Forbes profiled Actively Black, the Black-owned athletic apparel brand founded by Lanny Smith in 2020, in Sindiswa Mabunda's August 2024 feature "A New Era Of Representation: Actively Black At The 2024 Paris Olympics." Written after the Games, the piece looked back at how our brand dressed Team Nigeria in Paris, the traditional Adire textile at the heart of the designs, and what athletes said about wearing the kits. Forbes presented it as a moment of representation for Black-owned brands in global sport.
Key takeaways
- Forbes reported that Actively Black designed Team Nigeria's opening, closing and award ceremony outfits, Olympic Village gear and track uniforms for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- According to Forbes, the designs drew on Adire, a traditional resist-dyed textile from southwestern Nigeria historically made by Yoruba women, paired with modern performance fabrics.
- Forbes reported that Smith's team had about four months to complete the designs, while competing brands had years to prepare.
- Smith told Forbes that feedback from athletes, the delegation, Olympic Village volunteers and social media was overwhelmingly positive, with many athletes calling it the best gear they had ever worn.
- Forbes reported growing demand for Actively Black to create apparel for African and Caribbean nations ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
In Lanny's words
“The Adire prints paid homage to tradition, while the performance fabrics and cuts added the modern style.”
— Lanny Smith, to Forbes
“We had to move quickly, but we also had to ensure that we didn't compromise on quality or authenticity.”
— Lanny Smith, to Forbes
“It has been a joy to see the Nigerian athletes have so much pride in wearing the gear”
— Lanny Smith, to Forbes
Why it matters
For decades, the biggest athletic stages have been dressed almost entirely by billion-dollar brands. Forbes documented what happens when a small, Black-owned company gets the same opportunity: a kit rooted in Nigerian tradition, built for performance, and worn with pride. Smith told Forbes he believes this visibility gives Actively Black legitimacy as a brand with the quality, performance and style to compete in this space.
Smith also pointed to the growing investment in sports across Africa and said the goal is to make sure a diaspora-owned brand gets to build on that momentum, not only the largest global companies. That is our mission in motion: ownership, reinvestment and culture on the world stage, carried by the Tribe.
Shop the story
Rep the kit that made Paris proud with our Team Nigeria Kit, explore the Actively Black Olympic Collection, and train in our Pinnacle Performance Collection.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Actively Black?
Actively Black was founded by Lanny Smith, a former professional basketball player, and launched in 2020 as a Black-owned athletic apparel brand.
What did Forbes say about Actively Black at the Paris 2024 Olympics?
In August 2024, Forbes reported that Actively Black designed Team Nigeria's ceremony outfits, Olympic Village gear and track uniforms, blending Adire textiles with performance fabrics, and that athlete feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Is Actively Black Black-owned?
Yes. Forbes described Actively Black as a small, Black-owned company, founded by Lanny Smith to reinvest in the Black community.
What is Adire?
As described by Forbes, Adire is a traditional resist-dyed textile from southwestern Nigeria, historically made by Yoruba women. Actively Black used Adire prints in its Team Nigeria designs for Paris 2024.
Read the full feature: A New Era Of Representation: Actively Black At The 2024 Paris Olympics, Forbes (August 2024)
