THE TRENCH-COAT

The trench-coat was invented in 1914 by Thomas Burberry in order to equip the British army officers. It first bears the name of « tietocken », before being named « trench-coat » during the First World War.

1880 : Invention of the trench-coat by Thomas Burberrys

Le trench-coat est un manteau croisé aux manches de type raglan : une emmanchure permettant une grande liberté de mouvement. It is cut in a cotton gabardine, a very tight weave invented in 1880 by Thomas Burberry. That weave makes the fabric waterproof.

Anatomy of a British officer's coat

The trench features multiple elements that reminds of its military past : epaulettes to attach military ranks, belt rings to attach hand grenades. The back storm flap allowed the rain water to run-off and could be fold to make a hood. The front storm flap was to protect the shoulder from the gun recoil. Its wide collar was to protect the neck from bad weather. The overcoat is holed with large pockets, opened inside and outside for more ease and to hide topographic map and munitions. Finally, multiple straps at the sleeves, the back of the collar and at the waist prevented the wind, the water and the mud to enter in the coat.

A movie garment

In 1942, Humphrey Bogard nonchalantly wears it in the movie Casablanca. The trench-coat, until then viewed as a military garment, becomes iconic and enters the civil wardrobe. In the movies, it is wore by policemen, lawyers and private detectives.

The trench-coat generalizes and gets on the shoulders of artists and poets to become a wardrobe classic.