Key facts
- Camouflage is returning as a fashion trend, reminiscent of its popularity in the early 2000s.
- The trend was observed at London and Copenhagen fashion weeks.
- Celebrities like Alexa Chung and Iris Law, and actor Brad Pitt have recently worn camouflage.
- Searches for camouflage items on the resale app Depop have increased by 108% since April.
- Brands such as Zara, Marks & Spencer, and Adidas are selling camouflage clothing.
- Maharishi, a brand associated with the original trend, has experienced a revival.
The camouflage trend, once a signature style of the early 2000s pop group All Saints, is making a significant comeback in the fashion world. Sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton, formerly of All Saints, noted that army and combat trousers remain a staple for them. This trend, which had faded from mainstream fashion for years, is now being embraced again, as evidenced by attendees at London Fashion Week this month.
Camouflage trousers, styled with heels, beaded flats, camisoles, and shirting, emerged as a prominent front-row trend, first observed at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August. Vogue highlighted it as a "clear winner among the trends we spotted outside the shows." Celebrities such as Alexa Chung and Iris Law have been seen in camouflage recently, and actor Brad Pitt sported a matching camouflage jacket and trousers at a premiere for his new movie, 'Heart of the Beast'.
Hetty Mahlich, a brand editor at Burberry, was photographed wearing her own army surplus camouflage pants at fashion week, appreciating their ability to create contrast in an outfit. She noted they pair well with vintage nightdresses or white baby tees, and also work with heels for a less formal look. A guest was also seen wearing camouflage pants during New York Fashion Week.
The popularity of camouflage extends beyond fashion insiders. Searches for camouflage items on the resale app Depop have surged by 108% since April. High-street brands like Zara, Marks & Spencer, and Adidas are offering camouflage pieces, and Maharishi, the label that dressed All Saints in their iconic camouflage pants, is experiencing a revival, including a popular camo-themed collection with Arsenal in 2023.
Professor Andrew Groves, a fashion design expert at the University of Westminster, explained that the current resurgence is linked to a nostalgia for the early 2000s, a period when camouflage became widely accepted. "By the noughties, camouflage had become completely normalised," Groves said, comparing it to tartan or leopard print, where wearing it no longer necessarily carried a military statement.
Historically, camouflage originated in the military, first used extensively in World War I. During the Vietnam War in the 1960s, it was adopted as a statement piece by anti-war activists. By the 1980s, it had moved into high fashion, notably through Stephen Sprouse's 1987 collection inspired by Andy Warhol's camouflage paintings.
Groves noted that the current trend for camouflage occurs against a backdrop of global conflicts, suggesting that its associations with warfare, protest, and counterculture contribute to its enduring appeal. However, Mahlich views camouflage more as a "universal pattern," stating that its long co-option by subcultures and runways has given it new meanings beyond its military origins.