How to reinvent the lab coat

Protective clothing is, in its purest sense, as old as humans doing dangerous things. Toward the end of the 19th century, the lab coat as we know it gained prominence – and not because of scientists. Doctors used to wear black, as the colour was considered both fitting for the solemn nature of their profession, and its ability to hide dirt and stains. Thanks to the likes of Joseph Lister and his ideas about antisepsis, this went out of fashion and white became the colour of choice, appropriating the symbology of innocence, trustworthiness and cleanliness. And, practically speaking, it was – and still is – the cheapest colour available.