For over 150 years Burberry has been a symbol of British heritage and tradition. Founded in 1856 by 21-year-old Thomas Burberry, the London-based brand is well known the world over for their luxurious collections and iconic trench coats, but not many know the history and century-old story of its humble beginnings. From exploratory Arctic voyages to the to the trenches of France or the golden age of Hollywood, Burberry has consistently reinvented itself to keep up with the current events, style and culture of every decade.
Long before the Burberry was known for its brightly colored campaigns and glamorous runway models, the company began its legacy in adventure and exploration. The earliest Burberry shoppers were pioneers, heading for the farthest reaches of the earth in attempts to be the first to traverse unknown regions and continents. Refusing to be held back by the elements, they turned to Thomas Burberry’s patent gabardine fabrics to keep them warm and dry in the most extreme climates. Explorer Major F.G. Jackson wore a Burberry coat while mapping parts of the Arctic Circle in the 1890’s, and by 1911, the brand was providing coats and tents to Ronald Amundsen and his team—the first men to reach the South Pole.
By the early 1910’s Burberry was gaining recognition for their lightweight, durable and waterproof outwear and by 1912 had patented the Tielocken coat—the very first version of Burberry’s iconic trench. But with the start of World War I, the coat once favored by explorers and adventurers began to change form, reinventing itself for the turbulent times ahead. As the Axis Powers began to sweep over Europe, the Allies began to dig deep defensive lines in a military tactic known as trench warfare. As previous military-issued outerwear was ill-suited for such cold, wet conditions, Burberry’s coats began to become favorites among the ranks. Burberry changed the design to better suit the British military’s needs and added epaulettes, D-rings, large pockets and began manufacturing them in a khaki color so soldiers wouldn’t stand out on the battlefield. Soon these reinvented pieces became simply known as “trench coats.”
After the war the coat became synonymous with victory and the bravery of the British soldiers, and men and women began snapping them up as fashion statements. Once again the coat was reinvented, this time with a more stylish appeal. The famous Burberry check started lining trench coats in the 1920’s and by the early ‘30s the brand had expanded into selling fashionable ski suits and “sports outfits” for those on holiday. It also began to enter Hollywood on the shoulders of actors and starlets, and by the ‘40s was already a major part of the motion picture industry with the popularity of gangster films and detective noir. That iconic trench coat Humphrey Bogart is sporting at the end of Casablanca? Burberry. Here’s looking at you, kid.
By this time Burberry had begun to create lines for both men and women, and was creating different editions of their popular “trench coat.” By the ‘50s the London brand was actively advertising their outerwear from a luxury standpoint suggest that “gentlemen with a fetish for the finest” would love their collection, and some of their most popular pieces were priced between $37.50 and $95. When youth began to take over in the ‘60s, and mod and preppy fashion was fast approaching, Burberry adapted, creating swing coats, capes, checkered patterns and brightly colored outerwear to appeal to the booming youth of London.
By the ‘70s the trench coat was seen as a universal fashion must-have for both men and women. While Burberry created varied versions of the design, the classic look was still popular among luxury shoppers and British socialites. By the ‘90s the brand began playing with the coat as a sex symbol, and featured several campaigns with a young model by the name of Kate Moss posing in nothing but a Burberry trench.
Today the brand has added several new lines to the house including Burberry Prorsum, Burberry Heritage, Burberry London, Burberry Parka and Burberry Brit, all with their own take on the iconic coat. Done in hand-painted prints, luxury fabrics and bright swirls of color, Burberry’s modern trench is a far cry from the original designs used by the British military and early explorers, but as fashion continues to evolve and the brand continues to expand we expect that the classic trenches—in their basic khaki shade and unassuming gabardine cotton—will continue to be a symbol of British history and heritage.
