The story of the Burberry trench coat through eight defining designs discovered in the house’s archive

In early 2026, the UK reported more than 40 days of consecutive rain – which might have inspired the resin puddles that populated the runway at Daniel Lee's Burberry show, held in February at London's Old Billingsgate Market. It recalled another memorable show from the house, Burberry Prorsum A/W12 by Christopher Bailey, where flecks of confetti simulated a rainstorm, with models carrying striped umbrellas to protect them from the shower.

Protection against Britain's inclement weather has been the impetus behind Burberry since it was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry in Basingstoke, Hampshire. In 1879, he would develop gabardine, a breathable, lightweight, waterproof cotton; later, in 1895, he used the new material to create the Tielocken coat, a belted overcoat with a hook fastening that was adopted by soldiers during the Boer War. It would be the precursor to the trench coat, Burberry's defining innovation, which was introduced during World War I after a commission from the British Army. Double-breasted, with buttons instead of hooks and epaulettes on each shoulder, as well as a detachable warmer, the trench has been in production by the house ever since.

It is why the Burberry trench, recognisable for its distinctive chequered lining, is the star of the house's 170th anniversary celebration this year. It's no stranger to the spotlight, having been worn by the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo on the silver screen. Meanwhile, a new photographic series by Tim Walker, The Trench, Portraits of an Icon, captures a cast of 23 characters, including Kate Moss, musician Little Simz, actress Teyana Taylor and tennis star Jack Draper. ‘The trench coat is the foundation of Burberry; it's a symbol of resilience, innovation and personal style,' says Lee, Burberry's current chief creative officer. ‘It's enduring – it's become an essential part of British culture.'

The trench has also served as a creative canvas for Lee and his predecessors, including Bailey (2001-2018) and Riccardo Tisci (2018-2022). In their hands, the trench has been in constant metamorphosis, adorned with ruffles, studs or sequins; abbreviated in length or supersized; or even transformed into a dress. We've taken an exclusive look inside the Burberry archive, selecting eight design classics from the last two decades that capture the trench's shape-shifting appeal – from the Quality Street metallics of Bailey's S/S13 collection to the haute couture-inspired contours of Tisci's A/W 2022 trench-cum-gown, or simply the insouciant London cool of Lee's A/W 2023 debut.

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A version of this story appears in the May 2026 Design Issue of Wallpaper*, available on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News + now. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today