The ‘Civil Collection’ has arrived at Fear of God [IG] with clear intention. The modern luxury American brand founded by Jerry Lorenzo, is deeply rooted in his Christian faith and upbringing, representing both reverence and a sense of awe towards God.

Lorenzo also wants people to know that he understands just how complex a topic like God is for large numbers of people.

AOC adds that the concept of God is so politicized in the United States — and has been probably since our founding — that Americans with a Christian upbringing actually worship four distinctly-different Gods.

America’s Four Gods

This reality — which includes a total default line between white people and Black people in their definition of ‘God’ — was laid bare in 2010 with the book ‘America’s Four Gods’, based on research at Baylor University in Texas. Baylor is one of America’s top universities by any measure,

The book had a much-deserved boost from AOC because it DID come out of a prestigious Christian University. We actively recruited friends of AOC to participate in online research that ultimately totaled over 250,000 participants.

The results gave tremendous credence to the book’s own research study of 3300 people, accompanied by about in person interviews with about 10% of that original group.

15 years later, Anne has finished work on a new article about the original survey learnings from the Baylor research. AOC will contrast these findings with where we are at today in America.

This is the most fear-generating moment in American history since the Civil War for any American humanist of any skin color or self-identified racial or gender group.

For MAGA Republicans including US President Donald J Trump, it’s an exhiliating moment where they hope to rewrite American history, starting with the ‘noble’ institution of slavery. God appears in this discussion center stage.

White people were only following God’s marching orders. Don’t blame them.

With his brand Fear of God, Jerry Lorenzo aims to convey a message of spiritual depth and a connection to humanity and social justice values larger than fashion itself. In AOC’s opinion, that goal is achieved with this campaign. Models include Lamine Seck, Noemi Kassa, Ruby Muldoon, Thatcher Thornton and Zaram Obasi. Beat Bollinger styled the campaign with hair by Dre Demry Sanders.

Ironically, the message of the video hit me as a bullseye, given the unique moment I experienced this week with a 20s Black man fixing my air conditioning system’s detachment from the mothership.

Writing the Sharon Stone interview for Vogue Adria, the moment was fresh in my mind. He was headed for the door before the stranger stopped, turned to me, locked eyes and said:

“Stay strong and stay positive, Miss Anne. We really need you — you know?”

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Enduring Testimony to Dressing Up for the Civil Rights Movement

Fear of God commissioned Mike Carson [IG] to direct, CIVIL: a visual poem informed by a period when the weight of dressing birthed impeccable style with a foundation of sophisticated ease. Photography in the campaign is by Andre Wagner and Devin Williams.

The campaign is Inspired by the essence that fueled the collection itself – the strong, enduring, and graceful nature evident among American activists during the Civil Rights Movement. They always looked their Sunday best, wearing practical attire suited for tasks ranging from labor organizing to demonstrations after Sunday services, from sitting in a pew to marching.

CIVIL delves into the deliberate intention behind one's self-presentation and the significant influence of silent determination.

By reinterpreting historical themes through a modern perspective, what is revealed is the genuine, everlasting sophistication of garments made with careful attention; garments with an understated assurance; garments intended to uphold dignity.

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“When I think about that time, I think about the amount of consideration that had to go into the everyday,” reflects Jerry Lorenzo. “Your clothes had to give you a feeling of dignity; to reflect the humanity that you were fighting for. And the aesthetic that came from that was so beautiful because it came from a deep love for self, a desire for self-representation, and a true belief in equality.”

“I wanted to put that feeling in motion and speak to the way people had to carry themselves,” explains CIVIL director Mike Carson. “The film is more about what goes unsaid: when you walk into a room, you don't have to say much, but your presence and how you carry yourself can say everything. There's power in your walk. There's power in your posture. There's power in the way you carry yourself. There's power in numbers.”

Fear of God Has Nailed a Major Theme for Open-Minded Americans

To be clear, from AOC’s pov, Lorenzo has identified a major theme that will impact American fashion appetites in the coming seasons. This is not a time for frivolity or allowing ourselves to be sidetracked by fashion collections that have little or nothing to say.

Fear of God vs Dior Men SS 2026

I understand that Jonathan Anderson is promoting Joy as his big theme for his Dior debut, but the real Joy for the AOC crowd is saving American democracy and 50 years of progress on human rights. Our joy is stopping the erosion of women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, the American citizenship of babies being born in America, environmental goals — and just about every other issue AOC readers care about.

I’m happy there is joy in France and Jonathan Anderson’s Dior world, but America is NOT in a joyful state right now.