Burberry Trench Coat.
By Jonathan Campbell
In 1900, Thomas Burberry was approached by the British War Office, who asked him to design a coat to replace the military's current heavy coats. It was this request lthat led him to create the famous gabardine trench coat […]
“For safety on the land, in the air or afloat, there’s nothing equal to the Burberry coat” — Thomas Burberry.
There are two classic trench coats: one made by Burberry and the other by Aquascutum. But it’s the Burberry one we’re going to talk about today.
It was created by the young Thomas Burberry in 1856, who had already established himself as a maker of clothing for country sports like shooting and fishing. In 1879, he made the revolutionary discovery of gabardine: a tough, tightly-woven and water-resistant fabric, made with Egyptian cotton and an innovative production process, which was patented in 1888.
Gabardine made Burberry famous. He was featured in the trade journal Men's Wear in June 1904, where the new fabric was described as being resistant to hot and cold winds, rains and thorns - which in turn made it ideal for a weatherproof coat.
In 1900, Burberry was approached by the British War Office, who asked him to design a coat to replace the military's current heavy coats. It was this request lthat led him to create the famous gabardine trench coat: "a lightweight cotton raincoat with a deep back yoke, epaulets, buckled cuff straps, a button-down storm flap on one shoulder, storm pockets and D-ring belt clasps for the attachment of military gear”.
The coat became a staple product for soldiers in World War I, and eventually for civilians, too. It was worn by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, contributing to its worldwide fame. It soon became the core product of the Burberry brand and an icon of the Burberry style.
Fast forward to the 1980s, where the Burberry trench coat was suddenly picked up by the Yuppies and the fashionably wealthy. Cut for practicality, comfort and ease of motion, the coat has a full and voluminous look, which was all the rage in the Eighties. It was a hit once again. As tastes changed with the arrival of the 90s and the new millennium, however, more tailored silhouettes became fashionable. But what goes around, comes around. As fashion styles recycle, the full look is back once more. Today, the vintage clothes dealers in Spitalfields and Brick Lane are advertising that they have original Burberry Trench coats for sale, proving that demand is back.
The heritage range of Burberry’s trench coats is made here in the UK. The Gabardine is woven in a mill in Keighley in Yorkshire, then the coats themselves are made and hand-finished at the Castleford manufacturing site. The buttons and belt loops are all stitched by hand, the most intricate component being the collar, which involves stitching eight sections together to achieve the fluid curve necessary for the collar to sit perfectly on the neck. Quality control throughout the making of this garment is of the highest standard.
Burberry as a company has had a tough time lately, with the share price taking a serious fall. What’s great to see, however, is that the new management team is going back to the brand’s core style, embracing its heritage and producing high-quality clothes. The latest films in the new ad campaign “It’s Always Burberry Weather” feature the best of British talent, with Barry Keoghan and Olivia Colman, Zhang Jingyi, Cara Delevingne, English rapper Little Simz and soccer pros Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze.
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Images. The Obsessive, Burberry Limited, Unsplash/Jay Wennington
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