Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo on curating the perfect Met Gala table: ‘They share my honesty’

Jerry Lorenzo, the creative force behind Los Angeles-based label Fear of God, describes his approach as one of honesty: ‘clothing that allows people to be the best versions of who they are’. Running with the tagline ‘American Luxury’, the 2013-founded Fear of God – alongside its offshoot ‘Essentials’ – imbues quotidian garments, from hoodies and sweatpants to wool overcoats, blazers and denim jeans, with a mood of pared-back elegance, influenced by the dress codes of Lorenzo’s native California. In doing so, he continues the traditions of American sportswear: a continuum which includes Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, both touchpoints for the designer.

Two looks by Lorenzo feature in ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, the latest Costume Institute exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the opening of which is heralded by the Met Gala. Taking place yesterday evening, the starry event – often deemed the ‘Oscars of Fashion‘ – saw Lorenzo gather a table of cultural luminaries spanning the worlds of art, film and fashion, each of which echoes his all-in approach to creation (‘we pour all of ourselves into our work’). These included Sinners director Ryan Coogler and his wife, producer Zinzi Coogler; artists Arthur Jafa, Amy Sherald and Lauren Halsey; fashion designer Andre Walker; actress Yara Shahidi; footballer DeAndre Hopkins; and Lorenzo’s wife, Desiree Manuel, who he has previously called his ultimate muse. (Lorenzo also dressed Adrien Brody and Spike Lee for the event.)

Here, in his own words, Lorenzo speaks on curating the perfect Met Gala table, the ‘elegance of honesty’ on and off the red carpet, and how he reinterpreted the figure of the Black dandy at the heart of the ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’. ‘It’s about communicating dignity: that’s what the dandy was trying to do, he was using his clothes to fight for dignity, to be seen as equal,’ he says. ‘That’s the spirit behind what we’re doing with our guests.’

Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo on curating the perfect Met Gala table and the ‘elegance of honesty’

‘With the Met Gala, everyone is mostly just interested in the arrivals [on the red carpet], even though it’s kicking off an exhibition. So I think the majority of the people who go are those who love to be seen – they go out, and they get a chance to be seen by the world. But I feel like the people on our table don’t subscribe to that.

‘It was more important for me to honour friends of mine, people that I’m close with, who approach their work in the same way that I do mine. You know, rewriting our narrative, the way our culture is seen, and creating an honest picture of that. Honesty is where there’s beauty: Amy [Sherald] does that through her work, Ryan [Coogler] does that through his work... Arthur Jafa, too. Andre Walker has also been doing that for a very long time.

‘Mostly, these people are just friends. Someone like Ryan, he’s my guy, and with his success [with Sinners], everything just feels as if it's ordained or in alignment. Regardless of whether he had a movie out or not, he'd be coming with me, because I have so much respect for him. I know him on a deep level, and we're very similar in the way that we just pour all of ourselves into our work.

‘I think the intention of what I'm trying to do through Fear of God is to create pieces that'll allow people to be the best versions of who they are. They don't have to live in pretentiousness or wear an outfit that says something that they’re not. I’m designing something honest to who people are. That’s the elegance of honesty: you're just yourself. If you look like you are trying too hard, or trying to be what you‘re not, you don't look as sophisticated as someone who is comfortable.

‘So for my guests, I'm putting them in what I believe is a look that transcends the carpet. Of course I believe they'll be elegant, beautiful for the carpet, but they would look just as good if they wanted to go on a date and never even hit the Met Gala. I think it’s easy for me to do this because I know myself, who I am and what I'm here to say, it just anchors me in every decision I make. I just want them to be elegant, effortless, [ready] for whatever a day might bring.

‘In terms of the theme, it’s based on a specific character [the Black dandy], but the story of getting dressed within Black culture transcends that. I’m more looking at what the spirit of that is, and designing into that, not necessarily following a specific aesthetic. It’s about communicating dignity: that’s what a dandy was trying to do, he was using his clothes to fight for dignity, to be seen as equal. That’s the spirit behind what we’re doing with our guests.

‘All the looks are custom, with a few of the women’s looks adapted from our first womenswear collection, which comes out later this year. Seeing people wearing Fear of God is really the gift that gives back: anytime that someone comes up to you and says, man, I love the way I feel in this, that’s what I’m designing for. This intangible emotion – to help someone feel better, closer to the best part of themselves.’

‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ runs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute from May 10 2025 – October 2025. It is supported by Louis Vuitton.

metmuseum.org