A system for producing a visual effect at a surface of apparel worn by a performer including: a latent image projector which projects light comprising polarizer-encoded latent visual information, such as a color and/or an image, enabling the visual effect, the light being projected along a light path onto the apparel and reflected therefrom toward a viewer along the light path; an analyzer positioned so as to impinge upon the light path and be intercepted by the projected light no sooner in the travel of the light along the light path than substantially at the surface of the apparel; and a polarization maintaining reflective material positioned substantially at the surface of the apparel, whereby the polarizer-encoded latent visual information is resolved by the analyzer no earlier than substantially at the surface of apparel worn by the performer, so that the visual effect is perceived by the viewer at the surface of the apparel but not on other surfaces which do not comprise polarization maintaining reflective material.