Unique fashion show set to showcase West Midlands Police uniforms of the past

The exhibition featuring human avatars wearing digitally reproduced police uniforms from as far back as 1839 will launch at the West Midlands Police Museum on Steelhouse Lane in Birmingham at the end of the year.

The project, dubbed "Fashion Police", will see the museum join forces with the gaming, technology and fashion students from Birmingham City University (BCU).

The fashion students will recreate 24 historically important police uniforms, from the original 1839 Peelers uniform to modern day garments, while computing experts will develop meta-human ‘avatars’ by examining interviews and historical documents.

The uniforms and avatars will then feature in an exhibition at the museum.

The project has been made possible by a grant of £247,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Corinne Brazier, the museum’s heritage manager, said: “It’s so exciting to see the stories and photographs come alive and move around as digital avatars.

“By using technology to showcase history in this exciting new way, we can help people to connect with the characters and understand who they were and what they went through.

“Our relationship with BCU’s College of Computing and College of Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles is giving students real experience of working to a brief and tailoring products to produce something that's high quality for the museum.”

Professor Carlo Harvey, BCU subject lead in the College of Computing, said: “By investigating the digital cultural heritage, we’re learning about the people who wore the uniforms, and the perceptions connected to them, including family, victims, and perpetrators.

“We’re helping people understand the police through the stories behind the uniforms.”

A fashion show featuring 11 uniforms will launch the exhibition in November, while gaming students will also create a digital version for people to watch using virtual reality.