When most people think about camouflage they tend to think about a specific family of patterns: woodland camo. There are myriad varieties of woodland camo, but the seminal pattern—and the one most likely to come to mind— is the US m/81 woodland camouflage pattern. While camouflage nomenclature can be complex at times, in this case it’s actually rather simple: “US” refers to the United States and, while that may seem obvious, it’s important to note that virtually every country has a different version of woodland camo; m/81 is a reference to the year the pattern was introduced, 1981; “woodland” refers to the environment that the camouflage is designed to blend in with.

If it seems off that the most revered, replicated and riffed on pattern dates back to the ‘80s, that’s because it doesn’t. While the US m/81 woodland pattern may be the original “woodland” camo, it’s aesthetic predecessor, the m1948 ERDL pattern, was originally developed in 1948. Created by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory (aka ERDL), the m1948 ERDL pattern was the product of meticulous research, who derived formulas to perfectly space out the colored blotches so that they’d blend in seamlessly in forest environments.

The green, brown and black motif was commonly referred to as “leaf pattern” and was used by American troops in Vietnam—first in 1967 by small, elite outfits and more broadly by 1971. It was during the Vietnam War that camouflage began to seep into civilian life and m1948—the standard issue camouflage during the 1970s—began to represent the conflict in the United States. Protesters often wore camouflage, both as a means to reappropriate the pattern for anti-war purposes, but also as a symbol that troops, too, were opposed to the conflict in Vietnam. Veteran groups, like the Vietnam Vets Against the War, helped make the m1948 pattern the visual incarnation of the resistance to the war.

By 1981, the Army felt it necessary to modify its standard issue camouflage and introduced the US m/81 woodland pattern, which offered slight changes to the m1948 ERDL pattern: The colors were darkened and the blotches were made rounder and 60 percent bigger, a contrast to the more slender, sharp and snaking leaf pattern. Other countries quickly adopted their own variations of US m/81 woodland and the woodland family became one of the most widely-distributed patterns ranging from the United States to Italy and the Balkans to Lebanon, used both in military and fashion alike.

Woodland’s popularity within fashion is a direct result of its ubiquity amongst the world’s armed forces. More than just the pattern veterans had on hand when protesting the war in Vietnam, Woodland was also the pattern that artists like Andy Warhol reappropriated as a form of social commentary. Perhaps most importantly, it was the pattern that was most widely available in army surplus stores from the ‘70s onwards. M-65 jackets, cargo pants and parkas were all decked out in m/81 woodland, m1948 ERDL or other variants from the far reaches of the world and they were available for relatively cheap.

Eventually, the items (and their accompanying pattern) worked their way up to the fashion world, and today brands like maharishi continue to actively transform military-issued camouflage into peaceful garments, in an act of anti-military defiance. While Maharishi has explored the entire gamut of disruptive patterns, woodland, in any of myriad forms, often figures prominently within the brand’s upcycled program.

Woodland camo has been used by virtually everybody in fashion, from Raf Simons on his iconic "Riot! Riot! Riot!" bomber to Supreme’s first anniversary box logo T-shirt. While the pattern has largely been abandoned amongst the world’s leading militaries, in clothing it is omnipresent, from fast-fashion to runway.

If woodland is the most mainstream camouflage pattern, then tiger stripe might be the most beloved. Like woodland, the tiger stripe pattern rose to prominence during the Vietnam War, when it was widely worn by the Vietnamese Marine Corps before being adopted by some American troops (though it was never officially issued by the U.S. military). Like woodland, tiger stripe’s roots go back further than Vietnam, while its popularity owes much to the symbolism associated with the pattern.

While the first proper tiger stripe pattern is attributed to the Vietnamese Marine Corps, it was actually a locally-made reproduction of the French camouflage du léopard, which was referred to as lizard pattern during the Algerian War. Characterized by jagged black and brown stripes overlaid on a green base, tiger stripe was designed to blend in with jungle terrain where foliage was often swaying in the wind. As the name implies, the pattern does bear some resemblance to a tiger’s striped hide. Tiger stripe’s utility in Vietnam spurred many Asian countries, and some Latin American countries as well, to create their own versions of the pattern. That, coupled with the fact that original Vietnamese tiger stripe was made by individual tailors, made the pattern particularly eclectic and varied. In fact, tiger stripe’s lack of uniformity is very much a central part of its identity.

Like the leaf pattern, tiger stripe emerged as a common sight at anti-war protests and veterans rallies in the United States during the Vietnam War—a direct reference to the only conflict where it was used at the time. As such, it became a poignant aesthetic statement even more emotionally charged than woodland camo, which was more widely used and less directly associated with the war.

Tracing tiger stripe’s nascent popularity shows how it had greater political and symbolic connotations over other patterns. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, the pattern was readily available in army surplus and thrift stores in the United States and across Asia. Aesthetically aggressive and less coveted than woodland, tiger stripe was cheap and sent a message. As such, it became a favorite among angsty rebellious youth. Tiger stripe was frequently sported by those who went on to lay the foundation for contemporary streetwear: skaters, graffiti writers and hip-hop heads.

In Japan, brands like A Bathing Ape, Wacko Maria, Neighborhood and WTAPS frequently use tiger stripe—WTAPS in particular, who has produced everything from traditional tiger stripe to snow tiger stripe to desert tiger stripe throughout various collections. Like its use in the military, tiger stripe’s prevalence in fashion spread outside of Asia. Carhartt W.I.P. collections often include tiger stripe aviation pants, jackets and accessories. A.P.C., the Parisian minimalist label, released a tiger stripe work jacket in the past and in his heydey Mark McNairy regularly released cargo pants in tiger stripe fabric.

Whereas woodland-inspired camouflage is commonplace, tiger stripe remains decidedly jarring. Still deeply associated with a conflict that provokes visceral reactions, Tiger Stripe transforms the notion of camouflage in fashion.

For decades, camouflage patterns were originally drawn by hand, after countless hours of research by scientists like those who developed m1948 ERDL. In 1997, the Canadian Armed Forces began using CADPAT, a revolutionary pixelated camouflage pattern that was designed using computer algorithms to more effectively blend together. There are three distinct versions of CADPAT: 1) Temperate woodland which features dark greens and blacks, 2) arid regions, which features tans and browns and 3) winter/arctic, which features whites and grays. Almost immediately, digitally-rendered camouflage caught on in other countries, including the United States, China and particularly throughout the Middle East, where versions of arid CADPAT were immensely popular. Speaking more generally, digi camo no longer refers exclusively to algorithmically-designed patterns, but to any form of pixelated camouflage.

Given that digi camo is a relatively nascent pattern, it hasn’t been adopted as broadly within civilian life as older camouflages. While there is bound to be some digi camo at army surplus stores—particularly those in Canada—it is much less common than its woodland and tiger stripe brethren.

While digi camo garments designed for combat are less frequently reappropriated in fashion, a stable of brands have still made pixelated camo their own. In 2002, the same year that CADPAT became more widely distributed by the Canadian Armed Forces, Raf Simons’ iconic Fall/Winter 2002 “Virginia Creeper” collection featured a digi camo-esque print on hoodies and turtlenecks that was rather ingeniously achieved using knitting, rather than printing.

Tetsu Nishiyama’s WTAPS is no doubt second only to Hardy Blechman’s maharishi when it comes to exploring camouflage. As mentioned earlier, WTAPS used tiger stripe extensively over the years, but Nishiyama has also made digi camo something of a mainstay within the brand’s collections over the years. WTAPS’ most recent collaboration with Vault by Vans featured digi camo long-sleeved shirts and Half Cabs in traditional patterns, staying true to WTAPS’ authentic military reproduction aesthetic.

Supreme, on the other hand, has used various colors of digi camo over the years. Pants, long-sleeved shirts, MA-1 jackets, hats and beanies have all received the pixelated treatment. The brand’s best-known use of the pattern is undoubtedly its Spring/Summer 2013 collaboration with Comme des Garçons SHIRT on red polka dotted digi camo that flipped the obscuring nature of camouflage on its head.

Whereas woodland and tiger stripe are used regularly across the fashion spectrum, digi camo has been used sparingly in the two decades since its introduction. Used in fashion for its aesthetic merits rather than social commentary, however brands bold enough to include it tend to go all out.

Unlike the aforementioned styles, snow camo doesn’t refer to a specific pattern, but instead to a specific color palette. Animals have mastered snow camo—particularly in the arctic, where some species’ pelts turn translucent in the winter to effectively blend in. The first use of snow camouflage in combat is widely attributed to Austro-Hungarian soldiers who used white smocks while out on patrol during World War I. Snow camouflage was more prevalent during World War II, widely distributed in snow swept theatres of combat throughout Northern and Eastern Europe. Until 1943, snow camouflage just meant “white.” Soldiers wore white coveralls, uniforms were painted white on one side and white tarps were thrown over tanks. In January of 1943, a Red Army report, Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 17, posited that all-white camouflage should only be used in flat, open land and that a patterned variant should be used to blend in with “forests, underbrush, small settlements [and] thawed patches of earth.” As a result, dark grey and brown blotches were either added to white uniforms or left uncovered on tanks.

In the decades following the war, more advanced forms of snow camouflage were developed. German schneetarn is one of the most common and while it appears rather primitive—a few dark brown patches were added to otherwise white garments—it was used for decades by the Bundeswehr with very few alterations. Other patterns, like woodland, tiger stripe and digi have also been reimagined by militaries around the world to suit cold weather environments. Greens, browns and blacks were swapped out in favor of whites and greys, with drastically different results.

Like digi camo, snow camo is less symbolically charged and, as such, in fashion, purely an aesthetic choice. Woodland-esque snow camo has been particularly popular within street fashion. Supreme and Stone Island integrated a grey, white and black camo pattern pattern into their Spring/Summer 2016 collaboration. Anti Social Social Club has also riffed on the same pattern, as have Vetements and Canada Goose with a reversible parka— likely a reference to World War II-era reversible uniforms.

Predictably, maharishi has embraced snow camouflage, exploring winter-ready versions of tiger stripe and cloud pattern. Apart from camo-obsessed Maharishi, others too have experiment with white woodland. Christopher Raeburn, for example, used schneetarn in a collaboration with Fred Perry and even presented a frosty gillie suit-inspired jacket as part of his Fall/Winter 2016 collection. BAPE reimagined its iconic camouflage in achromatic fashion in 2006 and Nike slapped white tiger camo onto a pair of SF-AF1s in 2017.

We are so accustomed to seeing green or tan camouflage that snow camo stands out in rather striking fashion. Ironically, camouflage is used almost exclusively to stand out among the masses in contemporary style.