‘A design icon rooted in British craftsmanship’: Celebrating the Burberry trench coat at the V&A

Burberry has teamed up with the V&A museum to stage an exhibition celebrating its coveted trench coats - made in Yorkshire for more than 50 years - as the luxury British brand marks its 170th anniversary.

Called The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon, the free display at V&A South Kensington will launch on September 21 - the final day of London Fashion Week - and will bring together rare material from the Burberry Archive and the V&A collection, tracing the history of the Burberry trench from its origins as practical outerwear and military attire to a world-renowned icon of fashion.

Burberry trench coats are made using cotton gabardine woven at its mill in Keighley and then tailored at its factory in Castleford, acquired by the company in 1972.

The exhibition’s introductory ‘Invention’ section will explore how Thomas Burberry’s invention of cotton gabardine in 1879, after founding the brand itself in 1856, led to establishing the Burberry trench as a sought-after piece of protective outerwear, combining function and style.

It will follow the trench’s evolution into a design classic that has remained relevant for more than a century, rooted in a contemporary British sensibility and celebrated globally.

The ‘Craft’ section will unpick the carefully crafted elements that make up the Burberry trench, focusing on details such as the hand-finished collar and distinctive House Check lining, the storm flap and detachable throat latch.

The display concludes with ‘Creativity’, celebrating the continued reinvention of the Burberry trench, spotlighting 19 standout runway looks from the past 25 years, including designs by current chief creative officer Daniel Lee, who is from Bradford, and former CCO, Halifax-born Christopher Bailey.

The exhibition will be located in the V&A’s rarely seen Prince Consort Gallery, which once held fabrics from its textile collection in its mahogany cabinets.

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, enabling visitors to experience fashion in new and exciting ways.

Burberry says the display will give a snapshot of the history of Burberry and trace the long-standing relationship between Burberry and the V&A, describing them as “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 for 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 at 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 Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon’ will be on display at V&A South Kensington from Monday, September 21, 2026, to Sunday, January 3, 2027, and is open to all. The Burberry Gallery opens in autumn 2028.