About ESSENTIALS: Legendary Sub Brand From Fear Of God

ESSENTIALS (officially Fear of God ESSENTIALS) is a popular, more affordable sub-brand created by designer Jerry Lorenzo in 2018 as an offshoot of his luxury label, Fear of God. It focuses on minimalist, comfortable everyday basics like Essentials Hoodie, sweatpants, and T-shirts with muted earth tones and relaxed, oversized fits.

The brand has become a defining staple of modern street fashion by merging high-end silhouettes with everyday wearability. 

Core Aesthetic and Design Philosophy

  • Minimalist Styling: Clothes feature clean lines, simple graphics, and subtle, often rubberized or reflective branding logos.
  • Earthy Color Palettes: Collections focus entirely on muted, neutral tones like taupe, cream, khaki, slate gray, and matte black.
  • Oversized Silhouettes: The garments are distinct for their boxy, dropped-shoulder drapes and relaxed, baggy fits that prioritize comfort.
  • Athletic Roots: The design language is heavily inspired by vintage American sportswear and classic gym gear.

Signature Pieces

The brand operates on a “drop” model where limited seasonal collections sell out rapidly. Their most recognizable items include: 

  • The Essentials Hoodie: Known globally for its heavy fabric weight, lack of traditional hood drawstrings, and bold text across the chest or back.
  • Sweatpants & Joggers: Featuring elongated drawstrings and a relaxed taper, replicating luxury lounge aesthetics.
  • Boxy T-Shirts: Heavyweight cotton tees cut wide and cropped slightly shorter to complement layered outfits. 

Market Position: Essentials vs. Mainline Fear of God

While the mainline Fear of God collection targets the ultra-luxury market with four-figure price tags and premium runway textiles, ESSENTIALS is manufactured at a mass scale. Distributed heavily through retailers like PacSun, it bridges the gap between high-fashion exclusivity and mainstream, affordable streetwear culture.

Jerry Lorenzo: The Mind Behind ESSENTIALS

Born in Sacramento, California in 1977, Jerry Lorenzo Manuel Jr. is the son of Major League Baseball player Jerry Manuel, who went on to manage the Chicago White Sox and then the New York Mets. His father’s career set the pace, and Lorenzo spent his childhood bouncing from city to city, dividing his time between the order of ballparks and the rhythm of Sunday church. He often points to that upbringing as the emotional seed of everything he would later build. 

He was not trained as a designer. Lorenzo went to Florida A&M University, then got his MBA from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, working on the retail floors at Diesel and Gap to pay his way through. He moved into sports marketing after graduating, working with the LA Dodgers and eventually managing MLB outfielder Matt Kemp and styling him off the field. He also ran JL Nights, a party promotion business that put him in rooms with the athletes and musicians who would become his first customers. 

It was that outsider’s eye — someone who understood culture and image but had never sat in a design studio — that led him to start Fear of God in 2013, funded with about $14,000 of his own savings. Soon the label’s oversized silhouettes and church-meets-streetwear aesthetic resonated with artists and athletes, who saw something in Lorenzo’s clothes that didn’t exist anywhere else. 

The Story Behind Essentials

Essentials debuted in 2018, five years after the original Fear of God collection, not as a separate concept, but as a calculated answer to a problem Lorenzo was told about time and time again: people loved the Fear of God aesthetic but couldn’t get it. At the time, he said he wanted to build something “my cousins could shop at.” Essentials took the same DNA—heavyweight fleece, muted tones, oversized proportions—and made it wearable for way less. 

The funny thing is, Essentials was never meant to be a diluted spin-off to outgrow. It was created to fill a genuine gap: premium build and a different perspective, priced for a much wider audience. It’s the same tension we think about with every piece we stock — staying true to the quality and design language that made the line iconic, while keeping it genuinely accessible. 

Sources: Wikipedia, Business of Fashion, GOAT, Grailed, END. Clothing

Essentials Hoodie Store Lookbook

Scroll through our lookbook to see how a handful of core pieces stretch across an entire wardrobe. A boxy tee under an open jacket. A hoodie layered with tailored joggers for something between loungewear and going-out. Outerwear that carries a look from a morning coffee run to dinner without a second thought only at Essentials Hoodie Store. This is the everyday flexibility Essentials is known for — we just help you see it in practice before it’s in your cart.

What We Do

We’re an independent Australian retailer specialising in genuine Fear of God Essentials — sourced, stocked, and shipped locally so you’re not stuck waiting on international freight or guessing at sizing charts built for another country. We’re not the Essentials label itself; we’re the team that makes owning it easier if you’re shopping from Australia.

Why Shop With Us

Verified Authentic Every piece we sell is genuine Fear of God Essentials. No first-copies, no “inspired by” — if it’s in our store, it’s the real thing.

Built for Everyday Wear Essentials pieces are cut for comfort and layering, so the same tee or hoodie works whether you’re dressing up or keeping it low-key.

Local Stock, Local Sizing Shipping from within Australia means faster delivery and no import surprises at the door — plus sizing guidance suited to how the range actually fits here.

A Range for Every Wardrobe From core tees to tailored joggers to outerwear, we carry the full spread of sizes and styles so more people can actually find their fit.

Straightforward Service We’re a small, hands-on team. If you’ve got a question about fit, stock, or an order, you’re talking to someone who’ll actually answer it — not a call centre script.

Backing Australian Retail As an independent local business, every order supports a small Australian operation rather than an overseas platform — something we don’t take for granted.