HEARTS & MINDS COLLECTION

The phrase "Hearts and Minds" became one of the defining ideas behind coalition operations during the Global War on Terror.

The goal wasn't just defeating an enemy — it was earning the trust of the local population. Whether that strategy worked is still debated today, but it shaped nearly every aspect of the conflict and became one of the defining concepts of the era.

This collection isn't about glorifying or criticizing the Global War on Terror. It's about documenting the equipment, materials, patterns, and technology that came to define it.

Some of the imagery references the counter-sniper operations in Baghdad and the hunt for the sniper known as Juba — a story that became as much psychological warfare as it was a military operation. It reflects the uncertainty that defined urban combat, where every rooftop, alley, and window had the potential to become part of the battlefield.

The collection also acknowledges the darker side of the conflict. Propaganda, intimidation, and public executions carried out by authoritarian regimes and extremist organizations became part of the world's understanding of the war. Those events weren't isolated — they were part of the environment that shaped the experience of everyone who lived through it.

“HEARTS & MINDS” is about preserving a moment in history through the materials and equipment that came to represent it.

Authentic Saudi-sourced shemagh fabric
Camouflage patterns that defined a generation
Equipment inspired by the era
Built with respect for history — not nostalgia for conflict

Drops Friday, 7/31 at 3PM EST
Qilonyc.com

Prices & Additional Product Information Below

Shemagh Ops-Core Helmet Cover

The helmet covers are manufactured by Perroz Designs using premium Shemagh fabric sourced from Saudi Arabia.

Long before it became recognizable to the Western world during GWOT, the shemagh had been part of everyday life throughout the Middle East.

During the conflict it could be seen on civilians, coalition partners, contractors, journalists, tribal leaders, and insurgent fighters alike. It's one of the few pieces of material that existed on every side of the conflict, making it a fitting centerpiece for this collection.

A collaboration built around a fabric you won't find on a helmet anywhere else…

The outer shell is authentic Saudi scarf material — 100% lightweight cotton, woven for the desert long before anyone thought to cut it into a helmet cover. We've laminated it to milspec 500D Cordura, so what reads as heritage cloth performs like nylon: abrasion resistant, dimensionally stable, and holding its shape through hard use and repeated donning.

Camouflage and protect your helmet. Four-way stretch fabric across the front accepts a wide range of night vision mounting options and comes off without unscrewing the NVG mount. Strobes, electronics and small items are retained by an adjustable 1/8" bungee cordage system. Attaches via Velcro®. Sized to your helmet shell.

Ops-Core only. Designed to fit the Ops-Core FAST Maritime and SF Super High Cut Helmets.

Made in Canada

100 USD

BEACH BALL

A recognizable highlight of the “Hearts & Minds” initiative during GWOT was the publicized practice of US/coalition forces giving out toys to local children in the middle east.

The beach ball serves as our reinterpretation of the toys given out during GWOT. Our first accessory release built specifically for summer beach days, pool parties, or office/kids toys.

Measures 14” diameter

Two Colorways:

Choco Chip / Clear
M81 Woodland / DCU

Features orange “QILO” text on alternating panels, and our “ITD” outline logo on the circular poles.

40 USD

CERBERUS CAMERA STRAP

Built for the guys whose camera lives on the kit and not in a bag, getting treated like gear — so the strap's built like it.

Adjustment runs off a magnetic pull tab. One hand, no fumbling, no loose tail flapping against your kit. Pull to shorten for patrol carry, release to drop the body to shooting position. The tab reseats itself.

Attachment is ITW 3/4" hardware at the mounts, so the strap runs on the same buckles as the rest of your gear — swap it between bodies, break it down flat, replace a component without replacing the strap.

From the buckle to the camera it's 550 paracord, tied off at the lugs. Nothing to fail quietly, nothing you can't field-repair with a lighter and a knife.

Available in M81 Woodland, Choco Chip, and DNC (Desert Night Camo).

The Camouflage: The camera straps continue the “Hearts & Minds” story through camouflage.

Chocolate Chip and DNC represent the transition from the Gulf War into the early years of GWOT. M81 Woodland remained one of the most recognizable camouflage patterns ever fielded and continues to influence military culture and streetwear today.

Cerberus Camera Strap comes in three colorways:

M81 Woodland (with M81 webbing)
Choco Chip (with Coyote Brown webbing)
DNC (with Ranger Green webbing)

Made in Canada

85 USD

HOODIES & TEES

The Hearts & Minds collection debuts all-new fits for tees and hoodies - both inspired by the fit of Fear of God Essentials.

Both styles are contemporary fit, with the hoodie featuring roomy chest, body, and sleeves, with a slightly cropped length.

Tees have a boxier body than our core tee, non-cropped length.

Graf Tee - 45 USD
Other Tees - 40 USD
Hoodies - 80 USD

The Graf Shirt

The Graf Shirt draws inspiration from the machines that changed modern warfare — the B-2 Spirit, the A-10 Warthog, the M1 Abrams, night vision, thermal optics, drones, and precision-guided weapons.

All became defining symbols of the conflict. At the same time, coalition forces found themselves fighting an enemy that often relied on local knowledge, concealment, and unconventional tactics instead of technological superiority.

BLOG: "Hearts & Minds Collection" - QILO x FVRCRNRS (Drops 7/31)