Black people continue to create and fill spaces for us, by us, with groundbreaking brands. Whether it’s Friday or another day of the week, Lynae Vanee (pronounced Va-Nee) keeps it Black and brief — and sometimes, a bit longer as necessary. The three-time NAACP Image Award Nominee is a multifaceted poet, producer and director who uses her digital platforms to speak on race, feminism, politics, and inclusivity. The way she deciphers discriminatory double standards makes us reconsider where we focus our energy, and where we funnel our funds. Her shrewd quips have led to collaborations with brands such as Meta, Target, Macy’s, and Crown Royal. She has also worked with her fellow Capricorn Issa Rae and other luminaries such as the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris.
Vanee’s “Parking Lot Pimpin’” videos have gone viral and garnered over 70 million views across social media platforms. Highlighted in TikTok’s first-ever Visionary Voices List, she has built her brand on “keeping it black but keeping it brief,” about the critical context of today’s issues, in a succinct and stylized manner. Prior to the pandemic, Vanee taught Black History to high schoolers by day and was a poet on open mics by night.
“When I decided to leave it was actually a Juneteenth march that gave me a little bit of direction,” the Atlanta native recalls. “I felt like there was an appetite for what I had to give. I felt like it was a moment that I’ve been preparing for all my life and just waiting for the perfect timing. … The pandemic was terrible, but in most times of upheaval, we get to see new things grow and blossom. We get to see what was waiting underneath the cracks. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to sit down and get quiet with myself and figure out how else to apply myself and be creative.”
View this post on Instagram
That time was not in vain because it led to the popularity of PLP and the launch of her self-care brand, VANE during this past Black History Month. VANE is “developed by modern fol(x) who seek a healthy balance between self and society,” according to the website. It features tea sets, candles and herbal tea blends that can be consumed or used externally for your bath water. In the promo video, Vanee and her peeps wear all white, basking in the ethereal glow of what it looks like when you pour into yourself. Described as a love letter to her community, as well as herself, VANE is a vibrant nod to thriving instead of merely surviving. The title — a hybrid of her middle name (Vanee) and a state of mind that is often seen as taboo (vain) — came to her in 2016. But it didn’t make sense until the present day.
“I wanted to reclaim that concept of vanity, because we also deserve to be [vain], to celebrate ourselves, to replenish ourselves, to pour into ourselves because of how much we pour out,” she explains. “We’re embracing the concept that self-love is not selfish, from the nap ministry that rest is resistance, but also that vanity is okay because sometimes it is all about you. If it’s okay for it to be all about somebody else, it should be okay for it to be all about you sometimes. We deserve those things.”
Vanee was intentional about ensuring the validity of VANE instead of developing products to sell off the strength of her followership. Blessings often come from adversity and that’s exactly what happened when she was falsely accused of stealing the idea for the first tea set she released in celebration of the 2-year anniversary of PLP. Amongst the frenzy of support that followed, the creative was contacted by a group of Gullah Geechee herbalists from South Carolina.
BlackLove.com Related Articles:
Beyoncé’s Hair Care Line Cécred Should Remind Us How Important Self-Care Is
Black-Owned Wellness Retreats to Check Out in 2024
10 Black Women Online Communities to Support You During Your Healing Journey
View this post on Instagram
Their guidance helped her to curate a brand that speaks “to our struggle and more importantly, our victories, numerous, comprehensive, and worthy of celebration.” The Spelman College alumna views her collaboration with the herbalists as a divine connection that aligns with the mission of her brand. “Not only am I trying to get my community to take care of themselves, I’m also educating my community about where they come from, and that that remains a design throughout,” she says. VANE’s soothing aesthetic features brown and Haint blue, a pale shade of blue-green that represents protection. Vanee’s favorite items from her collection are the monogrammed teacup and the candle aptly titled, Breathe.
Carrying the weight of multiple roles while speaking on tumultuous topics gets heavy. Although she may seem like an authority on the concept, her relationship with self-care is new, fresh and raw.
“It’s still evolving for me. I still feel wary about taking time to myself or putting myself first or thinking about my needs because I still am doing this for my community, and I’m still making a product for consumers. I still am wary of it. It’s a muscle that I’m exercising being okay with,” she reveals. “I’m still working on it. It’s real time, real action. I think that’s even better. I’m not marketing that I’m an expert on self-care. I think that’s what makes it more relatable because we’re all still figuring it out. We’re all still making space for it.”
Upcoming developments for VANE include spring and summer tea blends and gift sets for the holiday season. “My goal is to be able to do something at Essence Fest this year,” she shares. Other future plans include her own TV show that will be “a more realized version of the Parking Lot that allows me to move around. That allows me to invest in and talk to people, but still the same tone and vibes, and funny and Black, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black.”
In this era of social media sensations, Vanee’s brand is emblematic of sustainable substance, which is why she is transparent about her evolution. “I’m praying to be able to ebb and flow with the ebb and flow of things that are happening in my life. Even though I’m an earth sign, I’m praying to be like sand in this season so that I can move and shake as I need to with ease,” she says. “There is a lot that is going on, and I’m grateful for all of it.”
JOIN THE CONVERSATION