The appeal of military gear is underpinned by its basic utility.

Rough, rugged and built to last, iconic military jackets like the M-65 or fishtail parka have always been garments you can turn to when you need something that will stand the test of time.

The original camouflage patterns were hand-painted by a team of fine artists who were enrolled as "camoufleurs" for the French army in WW1. They were enlisted as experts in concealment and painted equipment to blend in with the ground and sky.

The turning point of camo being used for fashion statements is hard to pinpoint, but the American cultural revolution during the Vietnam war was certainly significant in its journey. Running for almost 20 years from 1955 - 1975, the Vietnam War dominated American politics, media and mainstream culture throughout its lifetime, inspiring countless protest and anti-war initiatives and becoming one of the pivotal battlefronts of the counterculture movement.

The Vietnam War’s narrative of rainforests, napalm, cigarettes, tour jackets and camo not only solidified militarism as a core element of the American identity – it created an image of war that was strangely slick, sexy and cool. As a result, military culture became woven into the very fabric of American society in a culture in a way that it had never been before.