Image Credit: Photo by Fallon Michael on Unsplash
As the pulse of school spirit beats louder with the onset of a fresh academic year, fans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a new avenue to flaunt their affiliation. An innovative retail outlet, black-owned and powered by a distinctive vision, now provides a plethora of exciting merchandise options.
Defron Fobb, a visionary entrepreneur with a keen eye for design, unveiled the Anthony Lawrence Collection in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With a focus on high-quality, aesthetically pleasing apparel that features over 12 HBCUs, this store is a novel venture in the retail landscape. As reported by BRProud, Fobb’s journey commenced near Southern University, inspired by his professional exposure and creative inclination.
Fobb’s journey began at Tiger Mania, a popular retail store. His tenure there opened his eyes to a glaring gap in the market – the need for diverse, high-quality HBCU merchandise. The mainstream brands offered a wide range of clothing options to mainstream universities, but the HBCUs were conspicuously absent from their product portfolio.
Fobb shared, “I observed that HBCUs lacked not just the different options of clothing, but they didn’t have the high-quality clothing that the big brands were providing to the big schools.” This realization propelled him on a mission to bridge this gap, and he has been tirelessly working towards achieving it ever since.
The visionary designer recently relocated to a new store on Bluebonnet Boulevard. He describes the move as a “challenge,” but it’s one he’s eager to face. “It’s different, but I enjoy it,” Fobb said. “With my apparel, it is going to reach a different audience and just help the brand out. Southern University is its own brand, it’s a unique brand.”
The Anthony Lawrence Collection is not just about selling merchandise. It is about providing HBCU students and fans with more options to express their school spirit. Fobb hopes that his collection will provide customers like Southern University student Caleigha Hughes with more choices when shopping for HBCU merch.
“HBCU students are getting more exposure. We should have more resources to easily rep our school without having to spend money on ordering fees and all that,” Hughes said.
The Anthony Lawrence Collection store offers merchandise designed to represent HBCUs, including Southern University, Grambling State University, Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, and Morehouse College. The store even offers options for non-HBCUs, such as the state’s flagship institution, Louisiana State University, and the University of Colorado. According to the website, ALC provides NCAA-licensed collegiate apparel in-store and online in a range of sizes from newborn to XL.
