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The word ‘timeless’ is bandied around far too freely in the fashion world. The term is overused and all-too-readily applied to any garment that has an indefinable quality or an undeniable allure. Very few items deserve or merit the immortality that is so willingly placed upon them, but I don’t think I’m bestowing superfluous or hyperbolic praise on the Trench Coat, when I say that it is one of the few items of clothing that can truly be referred to as ‘timeless’.
The origins of the Trench Coat date back to the late 1800′s, with both Burberry and Aquascutum laying claim to its genesis. Undoubtedly, hundreds of years later, it is the former of these brands that has become synonymous with the Trench Coat, and while its initial inception was merely borne out of militarian function, the Trench has become one of fashion’s most recreated and loved items, with designer offerings existing alongside more affordable high-street versions. Originally constructed for soldiers, the Trench Coat has permeated popular culture and become a fully-fledged go-to item for millions of men and women all over the world.
Today, the Trench Coat isn’t the reserve of the front-line or even Wall-Street businessmen, but an all-encompassing fashion must-have that looks good on any guy, regardless of age. Amazingly, the design of the Trench Coat has changed very little since its days as part of a functional uniform, with the classic, ten-buttoned, double-breasted coat still being the style’s most prominent example.
Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer for Burberry said: “The trench coat is iconic, unique, functional, ageless, and timeless.”
The beauty of the Trench Coat really does lay in its versatility and I can’t think of many items that can make an outfit look better than a trench can. Wear with a suit for the ultimate lesson in power-dressing, or pair it with a more casual ensemble of jeans and a shirt to let your Trench Coat do all the talking. The devil is in the detailing, and Burberry have it covered with their impeccably-designed trenches, with the epaulettes, throat latch, hook and bar, back rain shield and the D-ring on the belt all harking back to the pre-War aesthetic, also did you know: the Trench Coat is one that was intended for battle?
