By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
There aren’t many clothes you could identify from a few metres away.
A trench coat, maybe. But more often than not, it’s the Burberry trench. The shape has barely changed over the decades, yet it remains one of the few garments that can be recognised before you even notice the label.
That kind of staying power is rare. It also explains why Burberry has chosen to mark its 170th anniversary not with another campaign or runway spectacle, but with an exhibition dedicated to a single piece of clothing.
Opening at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on 21 September, The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon will trace how the trench coat evolved from practical outerwear into one of fashion’s most enduring designs. Staged in partnership with the V&A, the free exhibition brings together rarely seen material from the Burberry Archive alongside pieces from the museum’s own collection.
The story begins long before the trench became a fashion staple. In 1879, Thomas Burberry developed gabardine, a tightly woven cotton fabric that offered protection from the elements without the weight of traditional waterproof materials. It would become the foundation of the trench coat, whose storm flap, throat latch and belted silhouette were designed with function in mind.
Historic sketch of the Burberry trench coat from the Burberry Archive | Image: Courtesy of Burberry
Those details have survived remarkably well.
The exhibition will look closely at how the coat is made, from the hand-finished collar to the signature House Check lining, revealing the craftsmanship that has remained part of the garment for generations. They are features that many people recognise instinctively, even if they have never stopped to think about why they exist.
Details of a Burberry trench coat worn by Hardy Amies including the House Check lining | Image: Courtesy of Burberry
It will also show how the trench has continued to evolve without losing its identity. Nineteen runway looks from the past 25 years, including designs by Christopher Bailey and current Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee, demonstrate how each creative era has left its mark while keeping the coat unmistakably Burberry.
Burberry runway look by Christopher Bailey featured in the upcoming V&A exhibition | Image: Courtesy of Burberry
Some of the biggest draws, however, are likely to be the archive pieces making their public debut. Early twentieth-century catalogues, rarely seen documents and a Burberry trench once worn by Savile Row couturier Hardy Amies will all be displayed for the first time, offering a deeper look at the house beyond its runway collections.
Fashion exhibitions often revolve around a designer or a particular moment in time. Burberry has taken a different approach by putting one garment at the centre of the conversation.
It says something about the trench coat’s place in fashion that, more than a century after it was first designed, there is still enough to discover inside a single coat.
The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on 21 September 2026 and runs until 3 January 2027. Admission will be free.
