HYPE SEASON HIGHLIGHT - Fear of God

In 2020, we saw an American brand of leisure apparel become a total rage! What, must you ask, was unique about it? The word ‘Essentials’ plastered all over their styles. The brand, Fear of God was founded in 2012, by LA-based designer, Jerry Lorenzo.

Lorenzo’s journey in Fashion began many, many moons ago, with a career in Retail at the now-controversial Dolce & Gabbana. His vision for FOG became more and more vivid, the designer admits, when he decided to quit and start managing athletes.

In 2013, Lorenzo’s line caught the attention of Kanye West, who hired him to design for Yeezy Season 1. West’s oversized, dystopian aesthetic aligned perfectly with Lorenzo’s grunge-meets-Allen-Iverson style and a sell-out collection was born. Their relationship carried over to the second Collection, which was released later that year. Through the association, Lorenzo became more and more sure of his vision for Fear of God and the kind of product he wanted to produce under his label.

Now, his signature style combines elements of nineties grunge with a modern hip-hop look. A fresh spin on what we’ve seen and known as ‘streetwear,’ Fear of God is all about ripped denim, plaid shirts, bomber jackets, and far-out styles like the kilt. In his current line-up, you’ll see a melange of sportswear, athletic apparel and high-fashion, but all categories still pivot on elevated, casual separates.

Hype season kicked off for this label in early 2016, when Lorenzo worked on Justin Bieber’s Purpose Tour - on his looks, and on the Purpose Tour merchandise. 

Ever since, Fear of God has been the flagbearer for cool collaborations. Some of its most popular associations were with Japanese label, Mastermind Japan - launching co-branded band and tour shirts bearing graphics from some of the most influential artists of the time - and PacSun. Lorenzo’s "Collection One" for PacSun, for example, was a more youthful take on Fear of God's signature offering, at a more affordable price point.

In 2018, Lorenzo launched his “Essentials” diffusion line, along with an experiential service that enabled customers to customise their own jackets, creating a continuous stir around the brand through 2020. 

Today, amongst FOG’s range of tracksuits, sweatpants, hoodies and crewnecks, some of the brand’s most sought after pieces are the God Military Boots, their Triple Black sneakers, and the avant-garde Kilt. 

It’s brands like Fear of God that are completely reinventing the wheel of luxury fashion, and what it will mean in the post-covid era. “Fluid casual” may well become our uniform in this new world -- a time when showing up to work in a baggy shirt, sweatpants and sneakers could be completely acceptable.