Stealth Wear — Anti-Drone Fashion

by

Collectively, Stealth Wear is a vision for fashion that addresses the rise of surveillance, the power of those who surveil, and the growing need to exert more control over privacy.

Building off previous work with CV Dazzle, camouflage from face detection, Stealth Wear continues to explore the aesthetics of privacy and the potential for fashion to challenge authoritarian surveillance technologies.

Archived. This project is archived as of 2019 and there are no plans to develop it further.

 

Archived. This project is archived as of 2019 and there are no plans to develop it further.
 

The collection is inspired by traditional Islamic dress and the idea that garments can provide a separation between man and God. In Stealth Wear, this idea is reimagined in the context of drone warfare as garments that provide a separation between man and Drone. Items are fabricated with silver-plated fabric that reflects thermal radiation, enabling the wearer to avert overhead thermal surveillance.

Stealth Wear was researched and developed during fall 2012 and was first presented at Tank Magazine HQ in London on Jan 17, 2013.

Thermal Tests

Tests carried out with FLIR camera at 640x480 resolution

Anti-Drone Hijab. Photo: Adam Harvey

Anti-Drone Hijab. Photo: Adam Harvey

Anti-Drone Burq. Photo: Adam Harvey

Anti-Drone Hoodie. Photo: Adam Harvey

Demo of Anti-Done Burqa shot with FLIR handheld camera in NYC. Photo: Adam Harvey

Stealth Wear exhibition at TANK Magazine HQ. London. January 2013. Photo: Adam Harvey

 

Credits

Many thanks to everyone who helped bring this project together:

  • Especially Nick Bates for the invitation to work with Primitive London
  • ‘Anti-Drone’ Hijab, Burqa, Hoodie and T-Shirt modeled by Tate
  • ‘Anti-Drone’ Hoodie also modeled by Sergio
  • Burqa and Hoodie designed by Adam Harvey and Johanna Bloomfield
  • Makeup by Giana DeYoung
  • With support from Primitive
  • Thanks to NYU ITP for thermal camera, Justin Corcoran for x-ray scans, Kathleen Scudder for graphic design advisement, Tank Magazine for hosting the exhibition, Clinton at Head Hoods for screenprints
  • Thanks to Aurelia Moser and Ronen V for creative advisement

Group Exhibitions

Selected Interviews