Lena Waithe has been on a roll this year, from being the first black woman to be nominated for writing in a comedy series to producing tons of new projects, including a new movie called Queen and Slim with Daniel Kaluuya.
Now, she’s delving into sneaker culture as a self-proclaimed sneakerhead. Waithe has more than 100 pairs of sneakers, even poking fun at her shoe obsession in a recent Nike commercial. And if you need further proof that she’s the sneaker queen, her fiancée got her a pair of sneakers instead of a ring when she proposed last year.
The unscripted show will be called You Ain’t Got These, and it will explore sneaker culture today through the lens of people within the subculture. “The series will highlight the subtext of race, politics, class, gender, creativity, commerce, addiction and self-expression that goes into every pair,” Hollywood Reporter writes.
You Ain’t Got These will be produced via Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-form video company Quibi. Lena Waithe has always been a strong advocate for underrepresented communities and outspoken about race and LGBTQ rights. Her fashion often carries that message, whether it’s the rainbow-colored superhero cape she wore to the Met Gala or her Nike sneakers on the red carpet.
In a cover story interview with Vanity Fair, she said:
“Being black and gay, having dreadlocks, having a certain kind of swag, and dressing the way I do,” she explains, she is sometimes told by certain well-meaning admirers or fashion wannabes, “ ‘That’s dope, you’re cool.’ I don’t feel validated by that. . . . I don’t want to be White. I don’t want to be straight. I don’t want to blend in. . . . I try to wear queer designers who happen to be brown and makin’ sh–.”