Fear of God goes luxury

Of all the designers of the new generation, Jerry Lorenzo has been perhaps the most able to build and evolve the structure of his brand, Fear of God. Born in 2013, at the height of the streetwear wave, the brand has always been able to contaminate this category of clothing with touches of subtle anti-conventionality, in dialogue with the grunge aesthetic but also with a strong sensitivity for discreet luxury. Over time the identity of the brand has become more and more structured, strong of collaborations of which the most important have been the one with Nike and, recently, the one with Ermenegildo Zegna. This collaboration seems to have paved the way for Fear of God's Seventh Collection, presented yesterday by the Los Angeles designer, which gives a clearer luxury breakthrough for the brand by introducing knitwear, tailoring and accessories in its proposal.  

The choice of number seven is symbolic for a religious person like Jerry Lorenzo: in the Bible is the number of completeness and perfection, which symbolizes a new beginning for the brand born precisely seven years ago. The arrival of blazers inspired by the 80s, Italian knitwear and tailored coats did not alter the spirit of the brand. As Lorenzo explained to WWD:

«The direction is always the same. It’s chasing the space between elegance and comfortability and trying to land the plane in those two words. We’ve just added categories and new vocabulary».

And here there are added, to denim and washed fabrics, with the finishes and distressing that have become a signature of Lorenzo in the last seven years, the recovery of a more traditional aesthetic language, which rediscovers the elegant composure of the past even in the sportswear category. Some items in the collection celebrate the centenary of the Negro Leagues, one of the first professional baseball sports leagues (the main passion of Jerry Lorenzo, son and grandson of baseball players and player himself) whose teams were composed exclusively or at least mostly of African-American players and in which Jerry Lorenzo's grandfather, Lorenzo Manuel, played in the past.

Fear of God's new tailoring maintains its casualness thanks to an exceptional work on fit, always Lorenzo's specialty, which is most evident in the jackets and short sleeves and trousers, both in the tailored version with the fold and in the slim, equipped instead of functional details such as internal zips and built-in straps. Boat shoes, sabots and accessories such as bags and sunglasses complete a collection that stands out for the subtlety of its details. During the presentation of the collection to WWD, Lorenzo gave his explanation of luxury as understated confidence:

«Our hope is that with this offering, it transcends time and buyers feel more confident. The emotion is flashy but when you walk in the room you’re not the loudest in the room. It’s understated confidence. […] We’re demanding not to be considered street, emerging or contemporary, but a definition of what fashion is, where it is today and where it’s going».