Thanks to his first-ever Nike collaboration, 2018 was a huge year for Fear of God-founder Jerry Lorenzo, which included the highly anticipated release of the Air Fear of God 1. But what many may not know is the amount of effort that went on behind the scenes before the sneakers were officially released to the public.

Lorenzo reflected on the sneaker with an Instagram post that shows off a box full of look-see samples, featuring never-before-seen colorways of his high-top basketball model with the Swoosh. While he says that there are 20 to 30 more colorways that haven’t been revealed, he explained the inspiration behind the one most prominently featured in the photo—an orange and beige pair that pays homage to his alma mater, Florida A&M University. Lorenzo says that if given the opportunity, he wants to make the school “what Michigan and the Fab 5 were to me in college, or what Oregon is to kids today.” Also spotted in the background is a neon green pair that’s not referenced in the post.

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…over the past year we’ve sampled tons of sneakers in lots of colorways, fabrics, materials, etc… i design in 3d so i have to touch and feel it before pulling the trigger. my gifts are in physicality not photoshop. there’s actually about 20 to 30 more vibes/sneakers in this box… some will see the light of day, some may forever live in this box… in an era of leaks, i’m not mad this colorway made the light of day… i actually love this orange box color cage and bone upper vibe… this shoe for was made for @famu_1887 mens/womens hoop teams… when i played baseball there in the 90’s we didnt have coordinated team shoes and we just wore whatever we could afford… playing ball at a black college in the 90’s was everything except D1. …anyhow, i said if i ever get the opportunity i’m going to make @famuathletics what michicgan and the fab 5 were to me in college or what orgegon is to kids today… so anyhow, this is a just a sample from that train of thought… not sure whether or not it sees the light of day or hits the @famuathletics teams, but thought i’d provide you with the context of the spirit behind this (sample) shoe… everything we do has reason and has foundation. we don’t move on hype. and we dont ride waves. 👊🏽

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According to Lorenzo, the pair may never see the light of day, but he does mention that some of those samples will. In other Fear of God x Nike related news, a new model dubbed the Fear of God x Nike Moccasin is rumored to release next month. 

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