Fear of God: The Story of Jerry Lorenzo and His Los Angeles Label
Fear of God: The Story of Jerry Lorenzo and His Los Angeles Label
Fear of God is an American fashion label founded in Los Angeles in 2013 by Jerry Lorenzo. It is known for long, relaxed menswear in a muted palette: heavyweight hoodies, sweatpants, flannels and, more recently, tailoring. The brand has two lines, the main Fear of God collection and Fear of God Essentials. Coveti stocks both in the Fear of God collection.
Quick answer
- Founder: Jerry Lorenzo, who started the label without formal design training.
- Founded: 2013, in Los Angeles, where it is still designed.
- The name: it comes from Lorenzo’s Christian faith.
- Lines: the main collection, and Essentials from 2018.
- Collaborations: Nike (the Air Fear of God 1 in 2018), Ermenegildo Zegna (a tailoring capsule in 2020) and licensed ranges with the NFL, MLB and NBA.
The early collections
Lorenzo built the first collections around the clothes he wanted and could not find: long tees, heavy hoodies, flannels and track pants cut loose and long, in colours that all go together. Instead of seasons, he numbered the collections, a habit the brand keeps today. The shapes travelled quickly through music and sport, and the label grew from a small Los Angeles project into one of the defining American menswear names of the past decade.
Essentials
In 2018 Lorenzo launched Fear of God Essentials, a line of fleece, jersey and nylon basics in the main collection’s palette and proportions. It became the brand’s most recognised product, and the Essentials hoodie is now one of the most searched pieces of menswear in the United States. Read how the two lines compare in Fear of God vs Essentials.
Nike and Zegna
The Nike partnership produced the Air Fear of God 1 sneaker in 2018. In 2020 Fear of God worked with the Italian house Ermenegildo Zegna on a tailoring capsule, which pushed the main collection toward the wool jackets and trousers it makes today in Italy.
The main collection today
The current main collection is the clearest picture of where Lorenzo has taken the brand. Italian made pieces include the Double Face Wool Cashmere Sport Jacket and the Double Weave Wool Double Breasted Lapelless Coat; the denim, like the Straight 5 Pocket Jean, is made in Japan; and the heavy fleece, like the Fear of God Classic Hoodie, is made in the USA. See our guide to the main collection.
The sports ranges
Essentials now makes licensed collections with the NFL, MLB and NBA, from team hoodies to gym shorts, plus an NBA range featuring the artwork of the painter Barkley L. Hendricks. Read our guide to the sports collections.
What makes Fear of God recognisable
- A narrow palette of black, cream, grey, brown and seasonal accents.
- Long bodies, dropped shoulders and stacked sleeves.
- Heavy fabrics: 380GSM to 520GSM fleece, double face wool, Japanese denim.
- Very little branding on the main collection, often just a number.
Fear of God at a glance
| Founder | Jerry Lorenzo |
| Founded | 2013, Los Angeles |
| Lines | Fear of God (the main collection) and Fear of God Essentials (launched 2018) |
| Known for | Heavyweight fleece, relaxed long proportions, a muted palette of greys, creams and blacks |
| Made in | Main collection pieces are made in the USA, Italy, Japan and Portugal; most Essentials are imported |
| Sizes | Essentials XXS to 4XL; main collection XS to XXXL, waist 28 to 38, tailoring IT 44 to 56 |
How Fear of God changed menswear
When Fear of God started, luxury menswear was mostly slim. Lorenzo cut his clothes long and loose, with dropped shoulders, stacked sleeves and trousers that gathered at the ankle, and that proportion became one of the most copied shapes of the decade. He also helped make the hoodie and the sweatpant acceptable luxury purchases, by making them heavy, well finished and in colours that looked considered. The muted palette, built on greys, creams and browns, made the clothes easy to combine, which in turn made the brand easy to collect.
The numbered collections
Fear of God names its main collections by number rather than by season. The product codes on the current main line begin with FG9, pointing to the ninth collection, and the main line now includes Italian tailoring, Japanese denim and leather alongside the fleece the brand started with.
The Fear of God palette
Part of what makes the brand easy to wear is that the colours are chosen to work together. Each season returns to a small set of neutrals: Black, Ink Black and Vintage Black; the heathers, Ash, Warm, Oatmeal and Concrete; the browns and taupes, Seal, Dune and Homestead; and creams like Dirty Ivory. One accent arrives each season, and for Fall Winter 2026 it is Night Sea, a deep teal. Because the shades are close, you can pair a hoodie from one season with sweatpants from another and they still look like a set.
Why buy Fear of God at Coveti
- Authenticity: every piece is 100% authentic and checked before it ships.
- Detail on every page: fabric, weight, fit family, size run, country of origin and style code.
- Worldwide shipping: express options to most countries.
- The full picture: both the main collection and Essentials in one place, so you can mix them.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Fear of God?
Fear of God was founded by Jerry Lorenzo in Los Angeles in 2013, and he leads it as founder and creative director.
What does Fear of God mean?
The name comes from Jerry Lorenzo’s Christian faith, which he has said shapes his work.
When did Fear of God Essentials start?
Fear of God Essentials launched in 2018 as the accessible line of the brand.
Is Fear of God a luxury brand?
Yes. The main collection is luxury menswear made in the USA, Italy, Japan and Portugal. Essentials is its more accessible line.
Where is Fear of God based?
Fear of God is based in Los Angeles, California.
Read next: Fear of God vs Essentials, brands like Fear of God, the Fall Winter 2026 edit.
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