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There are few more iconic pieces of British fashion than the Burberry trench coat. The trench has been worn by Britons and on fashion sets across the world since the 1910s. It was taken to the Antarctic by Irish explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton in the early 1900s, was sported by British officers during WWI and II, featured in some of old Hollywood’s most iconic scenes (the Breakfast at Tiffany’s kissing-in-the-rain scene, for example, and the ‘here’s looking at you kid’ moment in Casablanca) and is still going strong today.
Now, as part of the brand’s 170th birthday celebrations, Burberry has announced an exhibition at the V&A dedicated to that legendary trench coat.
The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon will be a free display in the Prince Consort Gallery at the V&A South Kensington running from September 21 2026 until January 3 2027. Split into three main sections, it’ll feature rare material from Burberry’s archive alongside pieces from the V&A’s own collection, tracing the trench from its origins to its status today as a bona fide British icon.
The first section of the show, titled ‘Invention’ will explore how Thomas Burberry invented cotton gabardine in 1879 and how that went on to be used in the Burberry trench which, at that point, was sold as a functional and practical piece of protective outerwear that was far more chic than the other options on the market.
Next, ‘Craft’ will unpick the artisanry behind specific details of the coat, like its hand-finished collar, check lining, storm flap and detachable throat latch. Finally, ‘Creativity’ will spotlight 19 runway looks from the past 25 years that have reinvented the Burberry trench, from Christopher Bailey’s pink metallic silk trench of 2013 to a purple baroque-print fringed coat from the winter 2025 collection. Did we mention it’ll be completely free?
The exhibition comes ahead of the reopening of the V&A’s Fashion Gallery. It’s currently undergoing a major refurbishment project with support from Burberry and will reopen in autumn 2028 as the Burberry Gallery.
Speaking on the exhibition, 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’, September 21 2026 – January 3 2027, V&A South Kensington.
See all of the exhibitions that the V&A has lined up for 2027 here.
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