From 12-14 October 2024, IMPRINT’s Clothed with Protection was featured at the New Scientist Live festival in London, UK.

The event welcomed more than 26,000 visitors of all ages, offered interactive experiences and featured exciting talks and exhibitions on the latest research and technology. At the festival, the IMPRINT network showcased its arts project with several outfits and the inspiration behind them. The exhibition also offered visitors a chance to try on some of the clothes themselves and even draw their own designs.

Clothed with Protection was organized by IMPRINT co-director Dr Chrissie Jones, in collaboration with artist Luke Jerram and funded by the IMPRINT network. The project commissioned ten fashion designers from Kampala, Uganda, to create clothing that highlights the importance of vaccination in pregnancy in Africa. Initially displayed in a fashion show and community event in Kampala, the exhibition has since been shown across the UK and Berlin as well. The journey of this project was also documented in a film.

At New Scientist Live, Dr Chrissie Jones was joined by Dr Mary Kyohere, who was involved in the project’s first exhibitions in Uganda, a team of clinical midwives involved with delivering vaccines in pregnancy and research midwives in charge of clinical trials of vaccines in pregnancy, as well as medical students. Together, the team was able to engage with people of all ages over the course of three days, from young children in primary school to older adults. Drawn in by the designer’s intricate work and creativity, the clothes on display were a great starting point for conversations about the science behind vaccines and the significance of vaccines in pregnancy to protect the health of mothers and infants.

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