Fashion Police: Exhibition Launch
About this Event
Fashion Police: Changing Perceptions via Uniform Heritage
Explore almost two centuries of police uniform heritage through fashion, digital technology and personal testimony.
Fashion Police brings together reconstructed police uniforms, digital twins, projection mapping and filmed oral histories to examine the changing relationships between clothing, authority, identity and community.
Presented in MODAL at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of Digital Arts, the exhibition features 12 dressed mannequins alongside digital and projected interpretations of historic uniforms. Visitors can explore how police clothing has evolved in response to changing roles, technologies, working conditions and public expectations, while hearing from the people and communities connected to that history.
The exhibition draws on a wider collection of 24 recreated uniforms developed through an interdisciplinary collaboration combining fashion reconstruction, digital pattern-making, 3D scanning, digital twins and oral history.
Fashion Police was developed through a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the West Midlands Police Museum, with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Fashion Police was originally developed and led at Birmingham City University by Professor Carlo Harvey. Following his move to Manchester Metropolitan University in 2025, project leadership at BCU was taken forward by Associate Professor Dr Mathew Randall, with Harvey remaining involved through its final phase.
The Manchester exhibition brings the project's fashion, digital heritage and public engagement work together at SODA, with support from Manchester Fashion Institute.
Can't make the launch? The exhibition remains open until 14 September and can be visited Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm, throughout the exhibition run.
Free admission.
Presented by
School of Digital Arts (SODA), Manchester Metropolitan University
With support from Manchester Fashion Institute
Project partners
Birmingham City University
West Midlands Police Museum
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Agenda
🕑: 05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Exhibition opens / refreshments
🕑: 05:30 PM - 05:40 PM
Welcome and introduction to Fashion Police
🕑: 05:40 PM
Explore the exhibition
🕑: 07:00 PM
Launch event closes
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
