Burnet’s Professor Paul Dietze has a unique memento from IAS2025, the recent International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Rwanda – a lab coat reimagined through the lens of HIV science, fashion, and activism – custom-designed as part of a special project, #HIVunwrapped.
In the lead-up to IAS2025, the 12 keynote speakers at the conference worked closely with emerging fashion design students from Rwanda Polytechnic on designs which represent each speaker's particular field of HIV research.
Professor Dietze liaised with student Pacifique Dushimirima on a bold and symbolic garment inspired by street-based science, harm reduction practices and the lived experiences of vulnerable communities.
The design tells a visual story of trauma, resilience and the call for empathy in the fight against HIV and the stigma surrounding drug use.
“The finished design is great, and a testament to Pacifique’s hard work and dedication. It was an important learning process for us all.”
The outfit features segmented layered sleeves with syringe motifs to evoke both armour and vulnerability representing the need for protection and the reality of injecting drug use.
These elements speak directly to harm reduction efforts and the physical realities faced by many individuals in the field.
At the heart of the garment is a red central panel symbolising hidden violence and trauma, reinforced by black crisscross lacing – a metaphor for silence, suppression, and the inability to speak out, especially in cases of domestic or sexual abuse.
“It highlights the need for a non-judgemental approach to questions of drug use and related harms in partnership with affected communities.”