Today, V&A and Burberry announce ‘The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon’ – a free display at V&A South Kensington celebrating a fashion staple that has adapted and endured through the decades, marking Burberry’s 170th anniversary. Bringing together rare material from the Burberry Archive and the V&A collection, the display traces the history of the Burberry trench from its origins as practical outerwear and military attire to a world-renowned icon of fashion, rooted in a contemporary British sensibility and celebrated globally. Situated in the museum’s rarely seen Prince Consort Gallery, which once held fabrics from the textile collection in its mahogany cabinets, it offers a snapshot of the history of Burberry, a house that epitomises timeless British luxury.
Beginning with ‘Invention’, the display explores Thomas Burberry’s invention of cotton gabardine in 1879 and how its use in the Burberry trench established the coat as a sought-after piece of protective outerwear, combining function and style. It highlights the trench’s evolution into a design classic that has remained relevant for more than a century.
Unpicking the carefully crafted elements that make up the Burberry trench, the focus on ‘Craft’ will highlight details such as the hand-finished collar and distinctive House Check lining, the storm flap and detachable throat latch, all of which provide protection when the weather turns.
The display concludes with ‘Creativity’, spotlighting 19 standout runway looks from the past two and a half decades, including designs by Chief Creative Officers Daniel Lee and Christopher Bailey, celebrating the continued reinvention of the Burberry trench. It will also trace the long-standing relationship between Burberry and the V&A, two pillars of British fashion that share a commitment to ensuring their heritage and collections inspire the next generation of creatives.
Oriole Cullen, Senior Curator, Fashion and Textiles at the V&A, said: ‘In advance of the V&A and Burberry partnership on the forthcoming Fashion Gallery, we are delighted to work with the Burberry Archive to showcase the history of the celebrated trench coat: a British fashion staple that has stood the test of time and continues to evolve over a century on.’
Carly Eck, Brand Curator, Burberry, said: ‘As we mark 170 years of the house, we are thrilled to partner with the V&A to celebrate the enduring legacy of the Burberry trench coat – a global design icon rooted in British craftsmanship and a symbol of innovation, creativity and timeless style. A myriad of objects from the brand’s Archive will be publicly exhibited for the first time – from early 20th-century catalogues to a Burberry trench coat worn by fashion designer Hardy Amies.’
The display opens ahead of the launch of The Burberry Gallery in autumn 2028 – a major transformation of the V&A’s fashion galleries at V&A South Kensington, supported by Burberry as part of a multi-year partnership with the museum. The redesigned gallery will offer a spectacular space, inspiring visitors and enabling them to experience fashion in innovative and exciting ways.
