Burberry Trench Coats

A narrative of gabardine that endures and intensifies with time.

The weather may not be the primary consideration for all, although its influence on mood and attire renders the gloomy sky of British landscapes particularly notable and emblematic.

The Burberry trench coat, with its soothing beige hue complementing the grey backdrop, has consistently been a fundamental element of this landscape; nonetheless, its significance in this narrative is continually evolving in tandem with Burberry's innovative pursuits. The trench is constructed from gabardine, a pioneering fabric developed by founder Thomas Burberry in 1879 to relieve the British populace from cumbersome, uncomfortable clothing composed of rubberised cotton. After 23 years since the establishment of the house, the former draper's apprentice fully embraced his entrepreneurial role, ultimately realising his initial ambition with a novel material characterised by an open and reticular weave that facilitated breathability while repelling the elements, thereby providing protection against the capricious British weather. In what manner? The fibres of gabardine were waterproofed individually before to weaving, resulting in a lightweight, comfortable, and far less perspirable fabric.

Subsequently, the trench coat emerged as a reliable ally for several explorers and pioneers.In 1893, Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian polar explorer, naturalist, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, became the inaugural documented polar explorer to don and employ Burberry's pioneering textiles in the Arctic Circle. This pioneering spirit persisted in the early 20th century, when the renowned British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton donned Burberry gabardine on three voyages. Subsequently, Burberry was commissioned to integrate gabardine into the British Army's uniform, resulting in the creation of the trench coat we recognise today.

However, that is not the sole reason the Burberry trench is considered an icon. The trench coat's prominence in cinema is undeniable; films such as Casablanca (1942), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), and Wall Street (1987) have established its connection to utility, adventure, romance, justice, and a timeless elegance that is enhanced rather than diminished by rain. While Hollywood elevated the Burberry trench to its iconic position, film has concurrently enriched the garment's heritage through the celebration and depiction of history.

Last year, Burberry was tasked with producing ten reproductions of the attire used by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team to assist the National Geographic documentary ENDURANCE, which narrates the dramatic account of the inaugural land crossing of the Antarctic continent in 1914. It notably illustrates how the gabardine provided protection during the challenging polar expedition, as well as the subsequent filming procedure. The Burberry trench, still woven, fitted, and hand-finished in Yorkshire, England, is culturally significant, with fashion continually discovering innovative interpretations that honour its heritage and craftsmanship.

The Burberry Winter 2025 collection introduces the latest additions to the

Burberry trench narrative: two whole new shapes, the Fitzrovia trench and the Ellingham car coat. This reinterprets trademark shapes by including increased volume, broader sleeves, and a fuller skirt to achieve a refined fit-and-flare form, presenting the possibility of more feminine lines.

The associated campaign, entitled ‘IT’S ALWAYS BURBERRY WEATHER: POSTCARDS FROM LONDON’, chronicles the experiences of first-time travellers in London as they interact with various people, all depicted by Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman. Transitioning from a cricket aficionado to a woman operating a chip shop counter, her performances encapsulate the variances of quotidian London life, providing context for the positioning of the Castleford trench coat, relaxed-fit Chestwood trench coat, down-filled Berryhill car coat, technical cashmere Kensington coat, herringbone wool Belmont trench cape, among others. In conjunction with the classic items from Burberry’s Heritage and modern rainwear collections, the recent advancements in gabardine's silhouette adaptations indicate the limitless potential for this iconic garment to maintain its relevance in daily attire — as long as the rain continues, so too will the narrative of the Burberry trench.