Fashion Army exhibition opens at Kunsthal Rotterdam

FROM 19 JUL to 7 DEC 2025 – A newly declassified U.S. Army archive has inspired Kunsthal Rotterdam’s latest exhibition, revealing how military uniforms influenced modern fashion. French image researcher Matthieu Nicol brings this rare visual collection to the Netherlands.

_{Kunsthal Rotterdam presents Fashion Army, a photo exhibition exploring the influence of military attire on fashion, running 19 July–7 December 2025.}

Declassified military archive inspires Kunsthal exhibition

From 19 July to 7 December 2025, Kunsthal Rotterdam will host Fashion Army, an exhibition showcasing over fifty photographs from a declassified archive of the United States Army. The images, spanning from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, were originally part of a systematic documentation process conducted by the Natick Soldier Systems Center.

French visual researcher Matthieu Nicol discovered the archive in 2022 during an online investigation. He was drawn to the images’ structured approach and ambiguous purpose. The photographs feature men and women wearing prototype uniforms in stark studio settings, resembling fashion catalogue photography. According to Nicol, the collection serves as a visual study of how clothing contributes to the image and function of military power.

From research to exhibition

Initially stumbled upon by chance, the images evolved into the basis for a larger research project. The Natick Soldier Systems Center, which operates under the U.S. Department of Defense, specialises in studies relating to clothing, nutrition, shelter, and airdrop systems. Despite repeated queries, the institute declined to clarify the original aim behind the photography sessions. The likely explanation is that they were used to document garment prototypes designed for various military roles—from secretarial staff to combat soldiers.

The full collection was later compiled by Nicol in a 2024 publication titled Fashion Army, which now serves as the foundation of the exhibition in Rotterdam. The photographs not only capture a period in military design but also reflect the long-standing influence of military aesthetics on civilian fashion. Items such as camouflage patterns, cargo trousers, and trench coats have become commonplace, blurring the boundaries between battlefield attire and high-street style.

Aesthetic unease

Despite the artistic composition of the photos, the exhibition acknowledges an underlying tension. The carefully posed subjects, dressed in gear linked to defence and potential conflict, invite reflection on the dual nature of military power—protection and force. This aesthetic contrast may leave viewers with a sense of unease, reinforcing the layered meaning of clothing in society.

About Matthieu Nicol

Born in 1978 in Paris, Matthieu Nicol is a Paris-based curator, iconographer, and founder of the consultancy Too Many Pictures. His previous experience includes working for Le Monde and contributing to the publishing house delpire & co, situated in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Nicol continues to explore photographic archives and their cultural relevance through both print and exhibition work.

Exhibition publication

The English-language book Fashion Army includes 192 pages and is available for purchase at Kunsthal Rotterdam and online via kunsthalshop.nl from 19 July. The ISBN is 978-1-915743-57-2, and it retails for €50.

Directions to Kunsthal Rotterdam

Kunsthal Rotterdam is located in the Museumpark, a central cultural hub in the city. Designed by architect Rem Koolhaas, the building is a short walk from the Erasmus Medical Centre and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Visitors can reach the venue easily via tram line 7 or metro station Eendrachtsplein.