Fashion has long borrowed from army dress. Cargo trousers, camo and military jackets are often reimagined for civilian cool. Yet while the trend’s roots are regimental and soldierly, the spirit is defiant when it comes to the world of fashion.
Braided rope trims, gold buttons, frog toggle fastenings and upright collars – SS26 designers went all in, and then some. The high street followed fast. The Napoleon jacket returned for a new era with fresh attitude. Alexander McQueen cinched the waist and built up the shoulders. Dior softened the look with pastels. Ann Demeulemeester presented a looser, more poetic version. Hot on the heels of the designer shows, Mango, River Island and Zara rushed to release affordable band-style jackets, complete with braiding and brass hardware.
Whether high end or high street, this season’s military jackets blend costume, authority and aristocratic swagger with an unmistakeable hint of rebellion. Expect velvet, leather and denim; cropped cuts, sleeveless shapes, some tucked into hotpants and others paired with sequinned minis. Anything goes, and that’s precisely the appeal. A few are so daring, they’d make a sergeant major blush.
Stand tall, stride on. Let the jacket speak. It won’t be long before you’re tempted and resistance will be futile. Here are 12 new military jackets on our radar. Soldier on.
