A new uniform is never just about comfort. Culture, image, identity and sometimes even politics all play an important role. The controversy surrounding the new Belgian police uniforms shows this clearly. Time and again, criticism has emerged about different parts of the design. But what exactly is going wrong?

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New Belgian police uniforms copied

The new Belgian police uniforms have already had a long journey. For years, officers complained about the dark blue uniforms, which they felt lacked authority. After long discussions, politicians finally approved a budget for a new uniform system.

But problems already started during the presentation of the new uniforms in 2024.

Although the Federal Police itself was enthusiastic, criticism quickly appeared on social media. Many people questioned why money was being spent on new uniforms while the police were struggling with safety concerns and internal problems. According to critics, the budget should have been used to improve the organisation and make the profession more attractive.

As if the Federal Police did not already have enough challenges, the uniforms were also copied. Chinese webshop AliExpress started selling shirts featuring the new police design. The police quickly took action and the counterfeit clothing was removed from the platform.

Belgian police uniforms continue to spark debate

Despite the criticism, the project continued and one year later officers started testing the uniforms in practice. Police officers in thirteen police zones began wearing the new designs. That is when the next controversy emerged: language.

In French-speaking parts of Belgium, officers had to wear uniforms with the Dutch word “politie” on the back instead of the French word “police”. As a result, some local officers felt that the uniforms mainly represented Flanders rather than the entire country. Critics also pointed to the dark blue colour combined with yellow details, arguing that it resembled the colours of the Flemish flag.

While some people considered the uniforms “too Flemish”, others argued that they looked “too Dutch”. Visually, that criticism is understandable. The colours and several design details strongly resemble the uniforms worn by Dutch police officers. The fact that a Dutch designer developed the uniforms only fueled the debate further.

Minister designs new uniforms himself

In the meantime, Belgium also saw a change of ministers. Annelies Verlinden originally oversaw the police uniform project, but Bernard Quintin has handled the dossier since 2025. Instead of calming the debate, the politician added even more controversy to the process.

Quintin openly criticized the design and agreed with those who felt the uniforms looked “too Dutch”. He eventually decided to stop the project altogether. The decision surprised the unions, which had already expressed concerns about the uniforms for years.

The minister also appears to have strong ideas about what the uniforms should look like instead. Last week, Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad leaked a photo of an updated design based on Quintin’s own vision. However, the new concept immediately received criticism as well. One union described the jacket, which features two large yellow panels on the chest, as “extremely ugly and especially unfriendly towards women”.

According to the union, the yellow panels emphasize the chest area on both men and women, something they consider undesirable. Critics also suspect that the redesign partly serves as a political profiling tool for the minister himself.

Designing uniforms is always a challenge

The story surrounding the new Belgian police uniforms shows how complex uniform development can be. And this does not only apply to police uniforms, but to many forms of workwear and corporate clothing with a public function.

Although uniforms may seem to revolve mainly around functionality and practicality, many other factors influence the process. Public perception can even shape political decisions. If nobody had claimed that the uniforms looked too similar to those of the Dutch police, the current minister might never have criticized them.

Unfortunately, this discussion also shifts attention away from the functional side of the clothing system. Designers deliberately chose the dark blue and yellow colour combination because several neighbouring countries use similar colours for their police forces. This helps countries cooperate more easily during joint operations. When uniforms differ too much, they can create visual confusion in the field. That choice is political as well, but the debate around appearance and identity has largely overshadowed it.

So yes, workwear is supposed to protect employees and help them perform their jobs properly. That is the theory. But the Belgian story shows that in reality, things are often far more complicated.

Best regards,
Aileen