Fear of GOD
- Arnell C. Opoku
- Jun 7, 2019
- 5 min read
Fear of God
The idea of living in respect, awe, and submission to a deity
Fear of God is a brand that was created back in 2013 by designer Jerry Lorenzo. Now, if you aren't into high fashion then you probably are confused and not familiar with him or his brand but that's okay because that's what I'm here for. Anyone who knows me is familiar with my admiration of Lorenzo, his brand, and what he stands for. He is easily placed in the top 5 category of people who not only inspire me but I look up to. Let me tell you a little about him. Jerry Lorenzo was born in California raised in a baseball family with no background in fashion or any desire to pursue it. He went to school to attain his MBA at Loyola Marymount with high hopes in becoming a sports agent. Lorenzo worked for the LA Dodgers and at one point later became the head of player marketing for "CSMG" which is a Chicago based sports agency. After making his appearance in the sports industry, he moved back to LA and established a career being a party promoter. The party life may have taken off as a career but Jerry wanted more. He had a wife, a son, and twins on the way so his priorities were beyond night life. In a recent interview with Complex Magazine, Lorenzo states "I’m 16 months sober. I have a family. My life is in a different place. So much of what I thought was socially important just isn’t important to me anymore." Then comes the birth of Fear of God. Being raised in a strong Christian home, he and his family did daily devotions together. It was the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers that he frequently studied when he was younger that led to the inspiration behind Fear of God. He states in his interview with Complex Magazine ,
“Reading about the fear of God and the clouds and darkness around His kingdom if you didn’t know Him, but [having] that same fear out of respect and reverence for Him if you did know Him…” Lorenzo explains in his warm, dulcet voice. “That juxtaposition was so awesome to me."
From there the brand we know as Fear of God was created. When you see it, most people would automatically classify it as a "streetwear brand" but to surprise many, he doesn't like to be shoved in a box. In a fairly recent promo video for his fourth collection, he states,
" Fear of God is not a streetwear brand, it's not a men's contemporary or a designer brand, or even a Christian clothing line for that matter. It's denim, it's fabric, it's nylon, it's bombers, but it's his hand and his grace that are on it. This is God's brand."
He also stated in a recent interview with Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz that Fear of God is not a clothing brand but its a conviction. He used fashion as his platform to tell the story of God's grace. I think that's what I admire the most about Lorenzo and his creative mind. He doesn't follow rules or a transcript. Most designers follow a fashion calendar which requires them to release collections based on demand, season, and fashion week. What I love about how Jerry Lorenzo works is that he releases his collections when he feels ready. He never feels any rush or pressure and doesn't have to answer to anybody.
The brand has grown tremendously since it's launch back in 2013. Lorenzo has done collaborations with Pacsun, Vans, and Justin Bieber just to name a few. He has also grabbed the attention of Kanye West who also created a separate lane for himself in the fashion industry. Lorenzo even credits Kanye West for being a key factor in inspiring him by stating that "the best thing Kanye did for me was make Jesus Walks." Now with his newly released fifth collection, Lorenzo created a 96 piece collection surrounding his love and nostalgia for vintage 90's fashion. I personally would describe this collection as a 90's urban cultural blend. It has the hip hop vibe mixed in with the sporty vibe from the 90s. I think what really sets this collection apart from the others is his use of denim. It's not as distressed as what we would typically see from a Fear of God collection. I love the vintage bomber jacket and jersey looks as well as the oversized Tees, hoodies, and shorts. I think this collection makes a very loud statement because it showcases the growth and evolution of the brand.
What I admire most about Jerry Lorenzo is his desire to push God into a space where many would say he either isn't needed or welcome. The fashion industry can be a really cruel atmosphere to step into and I love how he not only forced himself in, but created his own lane. You know that childish moment you have when you're a kid and you say to your parents, "I wanna be like them when I grow up!" haha yeah, that's me still at 20 years old when it comes to Jerry Lorenzo. I can only hope that one day I'll be able to use my knowledge of fashion combined with my faith to make the same impact. When asked what his life theme was, Lorenzo responded " I just want my life to be what encourages you to live like Jesus and seek him everyday." That alone is one of my favorite quotes from him because I believe that it represents what every Christian wants at some point. You want people to be able look at you and see God by the way you talk, act, work, etc. I personally don't think this article does enough justice to show how dope he is as a visionary so I would still encourage you to do more research if you want to. For me it's always been hard to write about people who I admire or look up to because I want to do the best job possible. The power of social media is huge so who knows, if one day he randomly stumbles upon this, I want people to see what I see. I wrote this in hopes that his story from starting an entire brand from the ground up could inspire you like it inspires me daily. Haha, So anyway Jerry Lorenzo if you randomly see this one day, I pray I get to meet you one day and I hope I did you justice!
"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."- Hebrews 3:4
For more on Jerry Lorenzo:
http://www.gq.com/story/fear-of-god-fifth-collection-lookbook-jerry-lorenzo
http://www.complex.com/style/2017/03/how-jerry-lorenzo-of-fear-of-god-became-fashions-cult-favorite
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