Fear of God + Fear of God Essentials
Often referred to as streetwear or contemporary luxury brand, Fear of God has substantially impacted the fashion industry for nearly a decade. Fashion designer and sneaker designer Jerry Lorenzo's American luxury streetwear label has garnered the likes of millions across the globe along with notable figures like the late Virgil Abloh, Kanye West, and Gucci’s Michele Alessandro. The unconventional fashion powerhouse has made sense of fashioning success uniquely on his terms, all of which began with humble beginnings immersed in religion and baseball. Keep reading below to learn more about the early origins and history of Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo.
Born in Sacramento, California, Jerry Lorenzo knew that he was meant for something great. His father, Jerry Manuel Lorenzo, was a professional baseball player and former coach, and their family often moved throughout the U.S. to stay together. After receiving a bachelor’s degree at Florida A&M University, Jerry Lorenzo eventually moved back to Los Angeles. While pursuing his MBA at Loyola Marymount, he worked at the clothing retailer Diesel in the evening. After working there for over two years, he was finally given a chance to work on the sales floor, and during that same shift, he sold over $5,000 worth of merchandise. After graduating and leaving Diesel, he chose to work for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the marketing department. In this role, he combined his baseball knowledge with his marketing expertise. In 2008 Lorenzo transitioned into a role as a party promoter. He made connections all over Los Angeles and learned how to connect with people in the music and fashion industry. He primarily hung out with rappers and notable designers.
After becoming a father, Jerry Lorenzo decided to leave the party scene and shift to a career in fashion. This first began with styling people he met through his promoting career. What inspired him to pursue this field was while managing the former Dodger all-star player Matt Kemp and working on improving his image through his clothing, he quickly realized that the premium apparel he wanted his clients to wear wasn’t available and made the same realization within his own everyday wardrobe. He found a gap in the market, and with only $14,000 to start, he began what we now know as Fear of God in 2013. The first-ever Fear of God design was a short sleeve hoodie featuring side zippers, and he even drove around Los Angeles trying to find someone who could make his vision along with particular RiRi Zippers.
In addition to the hoodie, Lorenzo worked on a handful of other pieces, as he felt that things were missing from the industry when it came to luxury menswear. Although his background heavily contrasts itself with the experiences of most designers, he quickly learned the ropes and garnered his skillset and aesthetics. A simple t-shirt became the foundation for Fear of God. The first debut collection was a success, and shortly after its release, he received a call from the late Virgil Abloh of Off-White. Knowing him from his time in the club scene, Virgil Abloh convinced Jerry to join him in Atlantic City to share the pieces with Kanye West. Lorenzo would then collaborate with Kanye West on various projects, primarily the Yeezus tour merchandise and Yeezy Season One.
The brand name Fear of God stems from Lorenzo’s deep religious background and is inspired explicitly by Oswald Chambers’ devotional book My Utmost for His Highest. Jerry Lorenzo was interested in how the book described a God surrounded by darkness, which made the entire concept aesthetic by nature. The additional inspiration that came to Lorenzo includes notable icons such as Kurt Cobain, Allen Iverson, and The Breakfast Club’s John Bender. All of these aesthetics blend nostalgic love with iconic ‘90s grunge heroes. Fear of God joins together with this concept with a sportswear inspiration. The luxury streetwear label has taken the fashion world by storm. Part of its rise can also be attributed to Lorenzo joining Justin Bieber to design merchandise on his Purpose tour. Jerry Lorenzo and Justin Bieber bonded over religion. This endeavor, combined with Jerry’s experience with the Donda creative team, helped reshape the concert merch industry as we would know it.
With Fear of God’s upgoing success in mind, Jerry Lorenzo decided to start Fear of God Essentials. Although Fear of God and Fear of God Essentials are similar, the difference is that while Fear of God focuses on luxury, the subsidiary line Fear of God Essentials takes on a much more accessible and affordable route. The label has introduced simple pieces in primarily muted tones and made its initial debut in 2018. Also made for kids, Fear of God Essentials draws inspiration from Lorenzo’s original designs and concepts while playing with different layers and textures by delivering high-end basics. Similar Fear of God aesthetics makes their way throughout, representing premium branding that makes a subtle statement. These ready-to-wear silhouettes apply to any outfit type and consist of various apparel such as tees, hoodies, shirts, sweaters, and more.
Fear of God has amounted to a level of success unlike any other, attributed to Jerry Lorenzo’s consistent vision of crafting something for everyone. He put a unique spin on an everyday primary apparel offering and made it premium and accessible to those who were interested. All while referencing his baseball upbringing and love for minimalist garments, Jerry Lorenzo’s repertoire as a fashion icon continues to grow, as he has created collabs with brands like Nike, New Era, Converse, Adidas, and celebrities such as Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and more. How Jerry Lorenzo rose to the level of fashion status paves the way for the future of Fear of God, Fear of God Essentials, and future fashion endeavors alike.
