Believe it or not, but it has been well over a century since the Burberry trench coat was introduced to the world. Today, the trench coat is what we call a classic: it’s instantly recognisable by its belted, knee-length design and checked lining, and it has been worn and treasured by so many people for the simple fact of its functionality. With how essential the trench coat has become to our wardrobes, it’s easy to forget that it was once a game-changing garment. 

A little history lesson is in order. Before the Burberry trench coat was introduced in 1879, one would have to brave the wet weather in cumbersome outerwear. At the time, rainwear styles were crafted from fabrics that had been coated in oil, wax or rubber to make them waterproof. Because of that coating, however, the fabrics were also stiff, heavy, and terrific at keeping sweat in (read: they smelled). 

Protecting people from unpredictable British weather was serious business to Thomas Burberry. Since the English fashion designer founded his eponymous label in 1856, he focused on creating innovative textiles and technical outerwear that could see you through the day, rain or shine. When Burberry invented gabardine fabric in 1879, it was a stroke of genius: instead of coating the entire fabric, he chemically treated its individual fibres instead. 

That treatment, together with the fabric’s tight weave, made gabardine especially effective at repelling water. Burberry even alluded to the fabric’s purpose by naming it after a line from Shakespeare’s The Tempest: “I hid me under the dead moon calf’s gaberdine for fear of the storm.”

Burberry’s wonder fabric made all the difference in the world. In 1912, when the designer used gabardine to create the trench coat’s predecessor, the Tielocken, the coat was not only water-repellent but also lightweight and breathable. It’s easy to see why Burberry’s gabardine outerwear was so favoured by outdoorsy upperclass folks as well as explorers and aviators travelling around the world. 

The trench coat, as we know it, truly took shape during World War I. Burberry updated the Tielocken to suit the needs of British soldiers who were fighting in the trenches: he added epaulettes on the shoulders to display an officer’s rank, D-rings along the belt for attaching military equipment, and a storm shield on the back to allow rain to run off the wearer efficiently. Thanks to these functional embellishments, the trench coat also gave its wearers a stately appearance.

Understandably, the trench coat became a symbol of British patriotism. Beyond the battlefield, the coat was adopted by civilians, both men and women alike, and it has remained a staple among aristocrats of the British monarchy. Eventually, the trench coat also figured into the wardrobes of another kind of royalty: Hollywood stars. Worn by the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo on the silver screen, the trench coat embodied a powerful allure.

Today, Burberry continues to reimagine the iconic trench coat with the same spirit of innovation that once inspired it. For its Winter 2025 collection, the British fashion brand introduces two new styles: the Fitzrovia and the Ellingham. 

Both trench coats feature a fuller skirt, resulting in a silhouette that is reminiscent of the fit-and-flare dresses that dominated fashion in the 20th century. Cut to emphasise a feminine figure, the stylish coats will make quite the statement even when thrown over a casual ensemble. 

Of course, Burberry considered both form and function for its new designs. Both the Fitzrovia and the Ellingham coats are constructed to offer ease of movement when worn. This is especially thanks to their voluminous skirt and the wider, raglan sleeves, a detail borrowed from the first Burberry trench coats.

The Fitzrovia and the Ellingham coats stay true to the original Burberry trench coats in other ways. Both designs feature the iconic check lining and are cinched by a belt with a metal D-ring. Of course, both are crafted in gabardine fabric, which is specially woven in a Burberry mill in Keigley, Yorkshire.

As Burberry knows best, some things just never go out of style.

Discover the new Burberry trench coat styles in Burberry stores and online at sg.burberry.com.

READ MORE

Son Sukku On Starring In Burberry’s New Campaign With Asami Mizukawa: “We Just Naturally Clicked”

‘The White Lotus’ Star Aimee Lou Wood Talks Burberry And Rom-Coms

Burberry Ambassador Bright Vachirawit Tells Us What He Loves About London

The post The Re-See: The Burberry Trench Coat Now Comes With A Fashionable Flare appeared first on Grazia Singapore.