IN 1879, THOMAS BURBERRY INVENTED THE WEATHERPROOF GABARDINE, AND SO THE TRENCH COAT’S TALE BEGAN.
The company has created a design that spans decades and an is now an unmistakable icon of British style.
This season, 140 years on, and over 100 years since the first trench was made, a myriad of runway designs sit alongside timeless heritage shapes.
1. 1960s
The epitome of a classic yet contemporary design, it was during the 1960s that the trench coat’s most iconic features, the d-ring, storm flap and epaulettes, were propelled beyond function to become statements of fashion.
6. 1970s
An international icon of style, British to its core. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Lord Lichfield, photographed trench coat campaigns during the 1970s.
Throughout the late 20th century, designs were updated, refined and refreshed. Shoulder lines were exaggerated, waists dramatically cinched, and fabrics evolved beyond gabardine.