Flora as Fashion: Erin Anderson

Flora as Fashion: Erin Anderson

I thought a lot about camouflage while pondered how I would approach this weeks image. Flora has always been a place for birds and animals to hide, as cover and protection from the outside world. Cloths can do the same thing. They can explain our mood, make us feel safe and comfy or help provide a barer. In fashion, we can either blend in or stand out. Applying camouflage into the fashion world has brought this utilitarian design to a new level.

The abstract print was designed for military use back in the 30's to allow personnel to blend in to their enviroment, away from enemy detection. But in the fashion world camouflage-inspired prints are a perennial trend and a fashion staple that returns, like leopard print, in various incarnations. Rarely do these interpretations blend in as their military counterpart do.

The non-representational pattern is a mass-produced visual language that is immediately recognizable. In development of the print, designers took in to account how the human eye perceives color, shape, and texture to help shield and disguise.

Andy Warhol is often credited with pushing camouflage into everyday fashions. By repurposing camouflage with ’60s pop colors, he obliterated the original function of  the print. His 1987 camouflage series consists of 8 screen prints and  self portraits with the pattern across his face. Collaborating with fashion designer Steven Sprouse, they ended up using Andy's patterns on a line of clothing. This body of work would sadly be Andy's final works published before his death later that year.

Today's Flora as Fashion entry features Erin Anderson, a fashion rep who runs Good Friends Collective, a lady with style and grace for days. 


Julie Green
April 14, 2018