Jeremy Smith, senior and captain of the Nicholls’ basketball team, started the clothing brand CXVIII in the summer of 2012, which has since become a successful line.  
The New Orleans native was tired of wearing other people’s clothes, so he decided to create a clothing line.
Right now Smith does the clothing line for fun due to the lack of time he has because of his role in basketball. He only sells shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies, but he would like to expand his product to sweatpants and shorts, which he will be working on soon. Smith said he is learning everyday how to balance time with school, basketball and his clothing line. He says he wants to find the balance so he can put the same amount of energy into everything he does.
Smith started out the line by creating a shirt, and his first order was only 25 shirts. He then went around asking his friends what they thought of the shirts. As everyone was complementing him, he began selling them. So far Smith produced over 300 shirts since the company’s inception.  
“I would like to thank everyone for supporting me,” Smith said. “A lot of people out here are making clothes, and it’s hard to start from the bottom and build a foundation. It’s also a lot of work and effort to go out there not knowing what to expect, so I would like to thank everyone for wearing my clothes and supporting me.”
Many people wear CXVIII clothing not only from the Thibodaux area, but also around New Orleans, Atlanta, New York, Texas and even overseas. Interested customers can purchase clothes from Smith or his website, 118clothing.com. The cost of the clothes ranges from $25 to $40, depending on the design selected.
He is still working on the process of trying to get his line in different stores around the state but has not lined everything up yet. He wants to sell his line in Thibodaux, New Orleans and Hammond.
Smith has gotten his name out there by many of his friends wearing the clothing line and social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and his blog that is on his website. Smith said that due to basketball, he rarely has time to advertise for his line, but even though he hasn’t really advertised, he still managed to sell a number of shirts and apparel.
“The design I made is part of me,” said Smith. “I don’t make clothes based on trends. I make them out of what I feel or been through in my life. It’s another expression of art, where I am humble to see people wearing the line.”