Everyone seems to be wearing camouflage clothes nowadays, but really, what is camouflage and how did it become so popular?

Camouflage has long been used in the animal kingdom by several species — both on land and in the water — to achieve a state of crypsis, allowing them to seamlessly blend into their environment. Taking a cue from the natural world, mankind developed camo clothing for similar reasons.

During World War II, the French military commissioned two artists, also known as “camoufleurs”, to create a pattern that would allow troops and military vehicles to blend into the existing forest environment. Needless to say, the pattern was a hit, and was later adopted by several other military forces across the world.

The army camo clothing worn by returning U.S. Vietnam War veterans while protesting war efforts helped to segue camouflage clothing into the civilian sector. In addition, it also helped to inspire the creation of camo hunting clothes during the 1970’s. The first camouflage pattern specifically created for hunting was drawn with magic marker.

But what is camouflage in terms of the fashion and how did it become so popular?

While the military has long been a source of inspiration for the fashion industry, leading to trends such as pea coats and combat boots, camouflage clothing for men and women continues to appear on designer runways time and time again. Part of the reason why everyone is going camo clad is due to the versatility of the pattern. Camouflage can be worn and styled in several different ways and has been adopted by several different niches within the fashion world.

In fact, camouflage has become so popular that it has translated into other arenas, such as interior decorating, home accessories, vehicle detailing and even certain foods! Yes, camouflage wedding cake and ice cream are real things and they have become quite popular too!