From natural selection to applied design to fashion and art, camouflage has been around for a long time. Early human observers of animals that mimicked their surroundings for defensive or predatory purposes must have soon realized the benefits of such subterfuge and employed it in hunting and in warfare. As small war parties evolved into large armies practicing close combat, the need for battlefield cohesion outweighed that for concealment. This is reflected in the brightly-colored flags and uniforms of the medieval and early modern periods. With the advent of longer-range weapons (most notably accurate rifles) and improvements in battlefield communications, the advantages of camouflage once again became important.
Of particular interest to your Archivist is the role of artists in both the design of military camouflage and the utilization of it in fashion and art. During World War I, artists and set designers were employed to create the most outlandish patterns for battleships known as “dazzle” in what appears to be Futurism’s precursor to Op Art. Later, camouflage would enter into the fashion world, initially as repurposed military surplus during the counterculture movements of the 1960s. In the 1980s there was a resurgence of interest in camouflage fashion as expressed in streetwear from neo-fascist wardrobes to haute couture. Among the last works of Andy Warhol in 1986 were his pop camouflage prints and paintings. There’s no hiding the fact that camo is cool.
Camouflage Books I’ve Seen
Disruptive Pattern Material: An Encyclopedia of Camouflage. 2004
Hardcover book by Hardy Blechman. Thames & Hudson. About 23 x 30 cm., 720 pp.
A massive tome full of color images on most aspects of camouflage including natural forms as well as art and fashion.
A paint-by-numbers guide for DIYers
How can you not love the obsessive detail of this evolution of the battle helmet?
Where am I?
Talk about acid drops!
Camouflage. 2007
Hardcover book by Tim Newark. Thames & Hudson. About 16 x 28 cm., 192 pp.
A nice heavily-illustrated ad colorful overview of camouflage with a panoply of examples.
Is your bark worse than your bite?
The inspiration for swamp monsters? A WWI sniper’s smock.
How to hide your smokestack in one easy step. Art about art imitating nature.
Military Style Invades Fashion. 2016
Hardcover book by Timothy Godbold. Phaidon. About 17 x 23 cm., 208 pp.
A different perspective on camo with full-page color pictures of military and uniform-inspired fashion. From “Dazzle” and “Campaign” to “Ceremony” and “Nautical”; chapters reveal just how militaristic fashion design can be.
Cruising for action?
An army of one.
Dazzle: Disguise and Disruption in War and Art. 2016
Hardcover book by James Taylor. Naval Institute Press. About 21 x 25 cm., 142 pp.
Who knew the U.S. Navy had an art history department? This book of color and black and white photos provides a very nice overview of both the military and artistic side of dazzle style.
An actual dazzle aircraft carrier from 1918!
Razzle dazzle in commerce.
Camo Mania: New Disruptive Patterns in Design, 2017
Softcover book by Alisha Tang. Victionary. About 19 x 25 cm., 264 pp.
A nice catalogue of modern examples of camouflage in graphic art, fashion, and product design. Entries are categorized by designer or project.
Cartoon graphics as a form of camouflage.
What a trip you could have on this one.
Abstract Camouflage Textures 1. 2018.
Hardcover book by Vincenzo Sguera. Arkiva Books. About 25 x 32 cm., 144 pp. (note: 17 pp. are a catalogue for other titles)
A collection of color samples of “artistic” camouflage accompanied by a CD for design applications.
Pollack meets Leeuwenhoek? Where microscopy and abstract art meet.
The top pattern reminds me of Meiji Era landscape paintings. What do you see?
Fashionista Fabric
Boonie Hat. c. 1980s.
Canvas hat.
An example of the “chocolate chip” pattern deployed during the First Gulf War and made popular by First Lady Barbara Bush during her visit to Saudi Arabia.
T-Shirt. c. 2000.
Men’s ombre shirt by Buffalo.
An interesting example of transitional camouflage.
Polo Shirt. c. 2000
Men’s designer shirt by Versace.
Just the thing for remaining inconspicuous at trendy parties.
Short-sleeved Shirt. c. 2010.
Men’s designer shirt by Diesel.
What to wear in the urban jungle.
Board Shorts. c. 2010
Men’s shorts by Nike.
Warhol on a rainy day.
Rain Poncho. c. 2015
Nylon poncho by RVCA.
A pattern reminiscent of the Vietnam era tiger stripes.
Silk Tie. c. 2020.
Tie by Ted Baker.
Here the influence of “digital” style camouflage can be seen.
Camo-phemera
Pop Camo. 2019.
Paper playing cards designed by Riffle Shuffle.
A camouflage-themed deck of playing cards.
Are you hiding any aces?
Camo court cards.
Andy Warhol Domino Set. 2019.
Wooden dominoes by Mudpuppy. Box about 18 x 10 cm.
A tribute to Warhol and a challenge to play.
Do I detect a pattern here?
In addition to wishing to share with others the books and artifacts hidden in The Collection, your Archivist has a lot of fun researching further the objects contained therein. Each of these posts affords me the opportunity to learn more about them and to see things from a new perspective. I hope that you too will derive some similar amusements.
Thank you for visiting.
de Gustibus
“Nothing is but what is not.”