Burberry's weatherproof coat becomes British officers' trench wear in WWI

When the First World War began in 1914, British officers needed outerwear that could cope with rain, mud and cold on the Western Front. Burberry, the London outfitter founded by Thomas Burberry, already made gabardine, a tightly woven, water-resistant cotton fabric he had developed in the 1880s. The firm adapted its weatherproof coat for military use.

The military version was a belted, double-breasted coat with shoulder straps and metal D-rings on the belt. The straps were used to display rank insignia, and the rings were commonly said to hold equipment such as map cases or swords. Other features, such as a storm flap and a wide collar, were designed to keep out wind and rain.

Although other makers, including Aquascutum, also supplied officers, Burberry's design became the best-known model. Soldiers wore it in the trenches, and the garment took the name trench coat. After the war, officers brought the style home, and it moved into civilian fashion, where many of its practical details survived as design features.