Jerry Lorenzo’s Hollywood-influenced spectacle for Fear of God’s 8th collection was an amalgamation of American archetypes.

Standing in the rich historical glamour of the Hollywood Bowl, having overseen many legends performing and basking in the crowds, Jerry Lorenzo utilised the iconic venue as its platform of conveying a juxtaposition of futuristic joy, whilst remembering a lingering sadness. Fear of God’s eighth collection brought together several thousand admirers of Jerry Lorenzo and his design language together in Los Angeles, as the richness of the Californian sun came down to shine a light on a very personal and poetic collection.

Speaking out backstage about the complexity of emotions behind this season, Lorenzo discussed at large how exploration of the American sense of luxury has led him to reminisce over the painful stories of his family’s past. “I wanted to look into and celebrate what American luxury means to me, whilst also being true to the past and the injustices suffered in the American society. As I was growing up, my dad would always tell me stories of my grandmother picking cotton, and now I am surrounded by fabric books and a team that looks up to me, and I get to pick and choose the cotton. There is freedom, and there is responsibility that comes from a lot of pain.”

Opening with British artist Sampha’s soft piano medley, the collection began with a conversation of a darker approach - signature FOG tailoring, seen through layers of soft oversized coats and blazers, elongated with a wider shoulder for a masculine look. Moving outwards into the space of creams and neutrals, the collection brought a richness of fabrics and textures - bouclé-like furry coats, mixed with fringe trousers and leather gloves, or cream padded leather coats on top of cozy, oversized and tactile knitwear that takes on its own elongated silhouette. Feeling of luxury, indeed.

With such meticulous attention to fabrics and textures, one could not help but notice the ease in which the collection swayed - American luxury has been defined by the key archetypes of dressing - as seen here - embellished with basketball and sportswear references in the face of knitwear oversized shorts, dropped crotch trousers in soft leather, or even the much-awaited collaboration of accessories and footwear with Adidas.

Finishing off with great attention towards distressing leathers, and playing around with the rigidness of them, Lorenzo showed looks that both felt soothing and subtle, but also sharply put together and confident with a play on textures that incorporate a distinguished purpose, basking in the Hollywood sky, and redefining what Fear of God and new American luxury is all about - measured, attentive and greatly confident.