By its nature, camouflage is about concealment, about blending in with the surroundings. But this takes the opposite effect in the style department.

Wear camouflage and it's a sartorial statement. In a navy, grey and black dominated menswear world, "camo" invites attention, instantly eliciting street-style snaps. This masculine trend was big in the 1990s then fell out of favour. But it has evolved in the hands of designers such as Dries Van Noten (above), Valentino and Jimmy Choo - who elevate it with their own take on camouflage. Unlike military camo, however, it is either made abstract or layered with colours and sheen. Jimmy Choo created camo using a woman's silhouette. McQ by Alexander McQueen's version could be mistaken for a floral print if it weren't in brown and olive. Valentino punctuated traditional green camo with violets, oranges and blues.

The use of abstract shapes and injection of colour has made camouflage fashion's new marching order.