We know that fashion loves to bestow the illustrious title of ‘icon’ on something fabulous, but few pieces have truly earned it in the same way as the Burberry trench coat.
To mark its 170th anniversary, the OG British luxury brand from Basingstoke is celebrating its garment of distinction by bringing together a party of 23 brand ambassadors past and present for a joyful campaign, ‘The Trench, Portraits of an Icon’.
‘Think of it as a tribute to Burberry – a symbol of British style and craftsmanship – and a thank you to the skilled individuals behind every coat,’ says chief creative officer Daniel Lee.
Representing the worlds of film, music, sport and fashion, the illustrious line-up includes Agyness Deyn, Alva Claire, Bright, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Eberechi Eze, Erin O’Connor, Hikaru Utada, Iris Lasnet, JY Park, Jack Draper, Jonathan Bailey, Karen Elson, Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner, Kid Cudi, Kristin Scott Thomas, Little Simz, Matthew Macfadyen, Reece Clarke, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Sora Choi, Teyana Taylor and Wu Lei.
Photographed by Tim Walker and styled by Katy England, each shot captures the individuality the trench coat is so famous for empowering, as we dive into below.
History of the trench coat
From its first iteration as the Tielocken, the minimalist 1912 coat made from founder Thomas Burberry’s pioneering gabardine, to Lee’s latest AW26 catwalk interpretations, which saw lapels transformed into waterfall ruffles, the Burberry trench coat has been a sartorial vehicle of cutting-edge engineering and personal expression for over 100 years.
Many know the trench, but few people know its tale. Its origins stretch back as far as 1879 when founder Burberry invented gabardine, a breathable and waterproof alternative to the rubbery outerwear of the time.
It was this innovation that Anglo-Irish polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton trusted to keep him insulated during no fewer than three Antarctic expeditions in the early 1900s (famously wrapping his car engine in Burberry gabardine, such was its efficacy in staving off the frost).
‘Anyone feeling the texture and lightness of the Burberry material would hardly believe that it answers so well in keeping out the cold and wind,’ praised Shackleton in his 1909 chronicle, The Heart of the Antarctic.
Burberry had already started making headlines for accompanying the pioneers of the day on the most important journeys of their lives when the Tielocken came along. An immediate hit with the British military, owing to the absence of buttons, which allowed it to be thrown on quickly, Burberry adapted the design during the First World War. It added a detachable warmer and called it the Burberry Trench Warm – and the name stuck.
How to style the trench coat
In the century since, the trench became synonymous with British craftsmanship and ageless elegance, appearing on stars of the silver screen from Audrey Hepburn to Marilyn Monroe and Meryl Streep. It’s had multiple reinventions, too: arriving in leather, shearling, jacquard and metallic finishes, as well as embroidered, embellished, hand-painted and whipstitched, making it a lesson in longevity whose limits know no bounds.
Its current relevance and desirability have as much to do with its famous devotees, including Kate Moss, Lewis Hamilton and A$AP Rocky, as it does with its forever-perfect balance of function and fashion.
‘A trench is the perfect transitional piece,’ says ELLE’s shopping editor Grace Clarke. ‘Come rain or shine, you can layer it up or dress it down as you please. And it rises above trends, so once you’ve figured out the shape that suits you best – whether long or cropped, regular or oversized – you’ve got a piece that will evolve with your style.’
‘It’s the ultimate timeless staple and it doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, you can wear it all the time,’ adds The Observer’s fashion editor and stylist Helen Seamons. ‘That trench is never going to let you down if you ever want to feel pulled together – from over a tracksuit to an evening gown, you always feel like you’re doing a look. It’s one of maybe 10 things in fashion that will never ever go out of style – that’s why it’s an icon.’
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