Camouflage, From WW2 to Present Day

During WW2, the soldiers and the public began to see a more sophisticated take on camouflage by learning from the lessons of the natural world. Naturalists have examined, researched and observed animals that will evolve to camouflage or what they call ‘Protection Colouration’, which means that the animals will either blend in with a landscape or will mimic another animal or plant. These ideas were in the stages of development to create a more successful camouflage with the creation of this ‘disruptive pattern.’

Camouflage was beginning to develop more rapidly as printed camouflage fabric was incorporated into uniforms by the Italian army in 1929.  Since then, hundreds of different patterns have been developed to serve in environmental conditions such as the dessert, jungle and the arctic. This huge development has changed to help and identify the different distinguishes between these fighting units. After WW2, the rapid developments and innovations that were being created consisted of radar, infra-red and thermal satellite imaging. These would have been improvements to expand the range of things that one could see.

The biggest value that shocked everyone in this business was the wholesale value that these patterns created for the fashion industry. Now called military clothing, this was being widely linked to the anti-war movement that was taking it’s place in the 1960’s when US Vietnam veterans wore their uniforms during their demonstrations. Camouflage would no longer make a statement to the wearer as being a member of the counter-culture that was happening in this time. But in the 1960’s, camouflage was being annexed by this counter-culture that was happening but by the 1970’s, punks and musicians where following the cultural and fashion leading Public Enemy in the 1990’s as they were drawing huge and public attention as they were creating something very unexpected and were making a political statement. But now in the present day, military tailoring, detailing and materials have now been part of this mainstream for about 5 to 10 years and seems like it is very likely to stay here.