Jungle Code: Camouflage Is Back in Fashion This Season
Camouflage returns with stealth and style. Subdued greens and desert tones meet rugged textures, proving that to stand out, sometimes you need to blend in
Camouflage returns with a modern twist
Camouflage is back on the fashion agenda, though not in the blunt, militant way the print is often remembered. This season, camo is defined by muted greens, sand-washed khakis, and sun-faded browns. On runways, designers are pulling the pattern away from its utilitarian roots and presenting it instead as a sophisticated tool for dressing.
The appeal of camouflage has always rested on its paradox: a pattern designed to conceal that inevitably draws attention. Today, that irony feels sharper and even useful. Where minimalism has defined recent seasons, camo introduces a rugged and slightly unruly disruption. Yet it is not wielded with excess. The new camo is refined, appearing in tailored jackets cropped at the waist, slim-cut trousers, and coats rendered in supple fabrics that shift the print from functional to fashionable.
A statement of presence
Styling plays a decisive role in this reinvention, and the key is subtlety. A camouflage overshirt layered over a white tee suggests an intentional nonchalance. Even accessories such as a tote in washed camo, sneakers with patterned panels, or a cap in muted desert tones provide precise entry points without overwhelming an outfit. The effect is a controlled clash of ruggedness and refinement.
The return of camo also signals a broader shift in how fashion interprets visibility. To wear camouflage today is to embrace contradiction, appearing casual while making a clear statement. In a cultural moment defined by both spectacle and restraint, camo offers a way to navigate the tension, blending in while ensuring you are seen.
This season, camouflage is not about hiding. It is about presence, sharpened through restraint. Fashion has transformed a pattern of anonymity into a language of distinction.
As seen in the pages of VMAN SEA 04, available in print and by e-subscription.
Photography Rojan Maguyon
Art direction Mike Miguel
Fashion Corven Uy
Grooming Jean Alorro of Nix Institute of Beauty
Photography assistant Odan Juan
Model Jehrricco Pasambal (IM Agency)
