LOOKING GOOD
No fear Fear of God’s new collection builds on the brand’s popularity with rappers, athletes and pop stars. IN FOUR SHORT YEARS, menswear label Fear Of God has gone from an emerging brand that specialised in longline tees and side-zip hoodies to a seemingly unstoppable trendsetting force in the fashion industry. The brand's founder and designer, Jerry Lorenzo, has implemented a multi-level market attack that includes his main Fear Of God collection, F.O.G. (a lower-priced line sold exclusively at PacSun stores across America), impossible-to-find vintage rock band tees adorned with the Fear Of God logo, and, last year, all of Justin Bieber's Purpose Tour merchandise. His latest offering, simply named the Fifth Collection, is a luxe mash-up of activewear, streetwear, and classic American staples. “If the last collection was that grungy rock kid in high school who wore band tees and ripped-up jeans, then this one is the hip-hop-loving athlete who wears sweatpants, basketball sneakers, and lots of jerseys and jackets,” says Jerry of Fear of God’s latest offering. “When I was in high school in the ’90s it was the athletes who dictated fashion and what was cool. That was the starting point and it grew from there.” Much of the new collection is the stuff that already defines the Fear Of God look – the nostalgia for the '90s, the oversized grunge and the hoodie-driven cosiness. But what's different this time around is that the main inspiration isn't pulled from the bands that inspired Lorenzo's favoured aesthetic (Pearl Jam, Metallica, and Nirvana) but rather via baseball and Boyz in the Hood. Just as retail stores like Harrolds – Australia’s Luxury Department Store are embracing Lorenzo's signature pieces like bomber jackets and long tees, he's stayed one step ahead by introducing unexpected offerings like corduroy blazers and silk pyjama shirts. There's also old school fitted caps featuring a Detroit Tigers-inspired graphic, made in collaboration with New Era and constructed of wool (just like they were in his dad's MLB playing days). There’s a wide range of new sneakers in the mix as well, which will no doubt appeal to the brand's more hype-motivated customers. Fifth Collection may be the label's largest to date, but Fear Of God's devotees know a surplus of goods has never been the brand's issue – it's managing to scoop up the pieces before they're gone forever. Because of the brand's ever-growing popularity among rappers, athletes and pop stars, the pieces fly off store shelves – even at the high-end prices the brand is known for. Fear of God pieces are stocked in all Harrolds Australia’s Luxury Department Store locations – Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast.
harrolds.com.au
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