From practical outerwear to a global fashion icon, a new London display explores the innovation and craftsmanship behind the Burberry trench.
Detail of the personalised label in British fashion designer Hardy Amies’s Burberry car coat from 1979
The Burberry trench coat has proved itself to be one of fashion’s most enduring icons. Originally conceived to offer protection from the weather, shaped by military use and continually reimagined on the runway, it has become one of the most recognisable designs in modern fashion.
This autumn, its history will be explored in The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon, a free display at V&A South Kensington marking Burberry’s 170th anniversary. Running from 21 September 2026 to 3 January 2027, the exhibition will bring together rare material from the Burberry Archive and the V&A collection, including objects being shown publicly for the first time.
Men’s pink metallic silk trench coat from Spring Summer 2013
Presented in the museum’s rarely seen Prince Consort Gallery, the display will unfold across three themes: Invention, Craft and Creativity. The first begins with Thomas Burberry’s invention of cotton gabardine in 1879. The fabric transformed practical outerwear by combining protection with comfort and style, providing the foundation for a coat that would later move from military attire into civilian wardrobes around the world.
The Craft section will examine the construction of the trench and the functional details that became enduring Burberry signatures. These include the hand-finished collar, House Check lining, storm flap and detachable throat latch, each originally designed to offer protection when the weather turns.
Women’s purple baroque-print fringed trench coat Winter 2025
Creativity will bring the story into the present through 19 standout runway looks from the past 25 years. Featuring designs by Christopher Bailey and current Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee, the selection will reveal how successive interpretations have altered the trench’s proportions, fabrics and attitude while preserving its identity. Early twentieth-century catalogues and a coat worn by British fashion designer Hardy Amies will add further depth to the story.
The display also precedes the opening of The Burberry Gallery at the V&A in autumn 2028, part of a wider partnership between the British fashion house and the museum. As Burberry celebrates 170 years, the trench remains a fitting expression of its legacy: a design built through innovation and craftsmanship, yet defined by its ability to evolve.
The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon
21 September 2026 to 3 January 2027
Prince Consort Gallery, V&A South Kensington
Free admission
