By Andrew Skerritt
Fear of God founder and Florida A&M University alum Jerry Lorenzo will be the featured guest for the University’s 2024 Black History Month Conversation.
“We are eagerly anticipating Jerry Lorenzo’s return to The Hill for our Black History Month Conversation. He is shaping fashion and making history. We are proud of him and the example he is setting, reminding us that you can get anywhere from FAMU,” said President Larry Robinson, Ph.D.
In 2013, Lorenzo founded Fear of God, a luxury house that comprises Fear of God, Fear of God ESSENTIALS, and Fear of God Athletics.
“I am honored to be invited back to FAMU for the Black History Month Conversation. So much of who I am today is shaped by my experience at FAMU,” Lorenzo said. “Returning to The Highest of Seven Hills is a full circle moment that I look forward to sharing with fellow Rattlers, the Tallahassee community, and my family.”
Scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the Lee Hall Auditorium, the event will feature a dialogue between the trendsetting fashion designer and his former professor, School of Business and Industry (SBI) Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D.
“I am super excited about conversing with Jerry Lorenzo, a former student, and fashion designer extraordinaire. I am looking forward to hearing all the nuggets of wisdom he has gained since leaving SBI and FAMU that he will share with us,” Friday-Stroud said.
Lorenzo was raised in Sacramento, California, West Palm Beach, Florida, and Chicago. He grew up with a first-hand understanding of the dynamic American landscape as his family followed his father Jerry Manuel, Sr.’s professional baseball career cross country.
During these years, Lorenzo developed an appreciation of heritage through visits to antique and vintage boutiques with his mother Renette, who also made sure their family was in church every Sunday. This cross-country, faith-filled upbringing established Lorenzo’s point of view, and laid the foundation for the Fear of God house and his singular vision.
Originally, Lorenzo planned to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former MLB second baseman and manager, with a career in professional sports. He played varsity baseball and received a bachelor’s degree from FAMU. Later, equipped with an MBA from Loyola University Chicago School of Business and self-taught clothing design skills, Lorenzo chose fashion.
In more than a decade later since he founded Fear of God, Lorenzo has been renowned as an innovator—not only for his inimitable perspective as a creator of timeless luxury products, but Fear of God’s ability to create on its own terms without subscribing to industry timelines and expectations.
Fear of God and Lorenzo have partnered with brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, Birkenstock, New Era, Nike, Adidas, and Vans. He has collaborated on wardrobe and tour merchandise for Kanye West, Jay Z, Justin Bieber, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, John Mayer, Dave Chappelle and ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’
Fear of God’s 7th Collection was featured within the Met Gala: Costume Institute’s In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibition. In 2023, he debuted Fear of God’s first-ever fashion show at the historic Hollywood Bowl in his hometown Los Angeles.
The event is open to the public and will be streamed live on FAMU’s social media channels.
