Matthieu Nicol’s Fashion Army undertakes a unique investigation of the evolution of
military attire into iconic fashion. With exclusive access to a declassified US Army archive,
Nicol presents 350 images tracing the transformation of military style from the late
1960s to the early 1990s. These rarely seen images show the meticulous development
of uniforms designed to meet the demands of the battlefield as well as everyday military
life, as well as being ambiguous images of masculinity and selfhood. Nicol focuses on the
awkward yet familiar nuances of individuals posing, with their tentative smiles and uneasy
stances. Through these compellingly edited and sequenced images, Fashion Army forms
an account of style, innovation, and the enduring and charged impact of military attire on
popular fashion and identity, offering a nuanced reading of how the military’s necessity
becomes fashion’s trend.
Includes an essay by renowned fashion critic Angelo Flaccavento, offering critical
perspective on the interplay between military functionality and the fashion industry.