UK's Fashion Darling: FEAR OF GOD Essentials Jacket in London

The oversized nylon jacket from FEAR OF GOD’s Essentials line has become a bonafide staple across London’s street style scene. Its perfectly boxy throwback silhouette combined with distressed edges epitomizes the effortlessly cool aesthetic locals admire.

Spotted on the city’s trendsetters from Shoreditch to Notting Hill, the FEAR OF GOD Essentials jacket reigns supreme right now as a core player in British fashion culture. Keep reading to learn all about this [streetwear brand] taking over the UK.

The Rise of FEAR OF GOD’s Coveted Essentials Line

Los Angeles designer Jerry Lorenzo launched the luxury streetwear label FEAR OF GOD in 2012. He embraced neutral hues, grungy details and religious nods across hoodies, shirts and pants. But Lorenzo’s most acclaimed move came in 2018 with FEAR OF GOD’s Essentials range.

[Innovation in Fashion] arrived in the form of stripped-back, accessibly priced streetwear basics. For just $95 USD, the Essentials line took Lorenzo’s hero silhouettes and offered them in fleece hoodies, lounge pants, tees and oversized outerwear.

The line’s jackets especially stood out for their perfectly boxy shape and nod to ‘90s fashion. Oversized with dual pouch pockets, some versions feature drawstring closures. The neutral cotton, nylon and fleece fabrications channel urban cool.

As [Hoodie 2024] and [Cargos sale 2024] items, the jackets exude that famous model-off-duty vibe. Their carefree fits lend themselves beautifully to layering - ideal for Londoners who prize dressing with easeful nonchalance.

Why Londoners Obsess Over the Essentials Jacket

But why specifically did this LA label strike a chord in London fashion? As it turns out, FEAR OF GOD’s details closely align with preferences seen amongst Britain’s trendsetters:

Slouchy Oversized Silhouettes

For starters, London style celebrates a perfectly undone messiness. Locals seem allergic to anything too polished or prim. Instead, exaggerated silhouettes rule the city’s streets where young fashionistas drown themselves in their boyfriend’s most oversized jacket.

The Essentials outerwear mirrors such artfully disheveled shapes to a T. So layering the jackets over [Tracksuit] pieces or even dresses maintains a carefully crafted - yet effortless - aesthetic.

Grungy Distressed Edges

That nonchalance sees locals gravitate towards pieces exhibiting use over time - aka the antithesis of store-bought stiffness. So the Essentials jacket’s raw hems, washed fabrications, and distressed details offer welcome imperfection.

Such finishing provides just enough urban edge to balance more polished items without crossing into unkept territory. That grungy mood aligned beautifully with London street fashion long before FEAR OF GOD arrived, making the pairing a natural fit.

Muted Color Palettes

Even details as simple as color palette help explain the Essentials jacket’s runway success locally. Brands embracing neons, pastels or prints overstimulate Londoners’ notorious understated preferences.

Instead, reliable neutral shades of black, white, grey, brown and sage green dominate. FEAR OF GOD channels that exact tonal minimalism across its collections. From a purely stylistic perspective, the jackets seamlessly slip into any local’s wardrobe as ideal tonally-subdued statement layers.

Casual Luxury Appeal

But beyond specific elements, FEAR OF GOD Essentials outerwear also epitomizes the blend of high fashion and everyday streetwear locals love. The jacket provides a missing link between the runway and reality that British fashion obsesses over.

Neither prim like Prada nor ornamental like Gucci, the Essentials jacket mixes effortlessness with luxury. The neutral earth tones, boxy fit and grungy mood perfectly balance refinement with reality to create accessible everyday wear.

Even small touches like the nylon fabrication and cotton fleece lining exude higher quality than traditional fast fashion materials. FEAR OF GOD built a holy grail for London street style - all by channeling inspiration from locals themselves.

In short, Lorenzo encapsulated the very aesthetic identity British youths strive to achieve themselves. By blending just the right amounts of grunge, oversized nonchalance, and high-low contrast, FEAR OF GOD Essentials realized the platonic ideal for local streetwear.

The jacket shaped by LA found its perfect muse across the pond.

Spotting the Iconic Jacket Around Town

Given the feverish obsession Londoners harbor for FEAR OF GOD’s signature outerwear, sightings exist across all stylish locales. Check out these fashion-forward neighborhoods and hotspots to catch locals in the iconic jacket:

East London Neighborhoods

As London’s creative epicenter crammed with galleries, cafes, boutiques and endless inspiration, East London offers fertile hunting grounds for FEAR OF GOD spottings. Specifically, districts like Shoreditch, Dalston and Hackney provide front row views of the city’s trendsetters sporting the oversized jacket with pride.

Around every corner rests coffee shops, bars, concept stores and sidewalks flooded with youth culture’s thought leaders. Given the sheer volume of creatively-dressed residents, FEAR OF GOD sightings feel ubiquitous while simply walking East London streets.

Notting Hill + Portobello Market

Shift across town to the vibrant Notting Hill neighborhood also renowned for off-duty models and effortlessly stylish locals. Head to the world-famous Portobello Market to scout vintage wares and tons of resident street style candy.

Between the neighborhood’s candy-colored row houses and church yard gardens, expect to witness many a resident wandering to brunch in an FEAR OF GOD jacket nonchalantly tossed atop casual dresses or jeans. The hip community and vibrant energy attract London’s fashion elite.

London Fashion Week Festivities

When London Fashion Week arrives in February and September, the chances of catching FEAR OF GOD in the wild skyrocket. As fashion folk flock to the city for runway shows, presentations, parties and events, the fashion week crowds become flooded with insider style.

Show-goers wear the jackets as they race between venues. Party attendees don them for events and soirées. And for those looking to peacock amongst the most well-dressed week around, FEAR OF GOD makes the ultimate power statement mixed with Stan Smiths and skinnies.

Selfridge’s & Dover Street Market

Of course, no Londoner needs attend fashion week to browse FEAR OF GOD IRL. The city’s premiere luxury department stores like Selfridge’s and high fashion concept shops like Dover Street Market all proudly stock the label.

Head into these retail meccas to admire - or shop - the full range in person. Trying on the oversized jacket for yourself provides the easiest way to understand its hold over local fashion lovers. The perfectly relaxed silhouette looks beautiful layered atop more feminine items like dresses or skirts.

How Londoners Style Their Beloved Jacket

Beyond simply spotting the FEAR OF GOD jacket around London, pay attention to how locals artfully style it. The piece takes center stage in plenty of ensembles:

With Graphic Tees & Hoodies
The oversized jacket wins legions of fans for its ability to balance more casual pieces without losing its model-off-duty vibe. It works beautifully layered atop graphic tees, hoodies, bike shorts and other sporty separates.

Leather Pants or Distressed Denim
Lean into contrast by pairing the earth-toned nylon jacket with black leather pants or light denim jeans with rips. Keep the rest of the look pared back to let the textures shine.

White Sneakers
Crisp white sneakers like Air Force 1s, Stan Smiths or Common Projects Achilles Lows balance beautifully with the jacket’s grit. The shoes skew sporty to contrast more refined elements.

Mini Bags Petite shoulder bags continue trending in women’s fashion accessories, and their precious size plays beautifully against the oversized jacket. Let an emerald green Mini Lady Dior, khaki saddle bag or gray quilted Chanel shine.

Neutral Layers Monochromatic neutrals feel right at home with FEAR OF GOD’s earthen palette. Experiment by layering similarly-toned items that play with silhouette, texture and scale. Cream knits, grey shirts and tan trousers harmoniously color block.

Shopping the FEAR OF GOD Essentials Jacket

For those hoping to cop the jacket taking over London street style, several shopping options exist: