Bal Harbour

C O U R T E S Y O F B U R B E R R Y he Burberry trench coat is more than just a wardrobe staple; it's an emblem of British heritage. Crafted over a century ago by Thomas Burberry, the trench coat's enduring appeal lies in its blend of utility and collar-clutching drama. Today, under the creative direction of designer Daniel Lee, Burberry continues to perfect and reimagine the iconic piece, pushing it to embrace the evolving demands of our times. Burberry founded his eponymous brand in 1856 with a vision to create outerwear that would protect wearers from all elements. Dissatisfied with the waterproof fabrics of the time, which were often unbearably stiff, Burberry set out to innovate. In 1879, he invented gabardine, a tightly woven fabric that's waterproof and breathable. From gabardine, Burberry created the Tielocken, a precursor to the trench coat. Its success laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most iconic garments in fashion history. The trench coat as we know it today was born from function, designed for British military officers during World War I. Its practical details—like epaulets for displaying rank and D-rings for attaching equipment, appreciated by generations of soldiers and explorers including Sir Ernest Shackleton—have since become synonymous with the coat's timeless silhouette. Thanks to its quick adoption by the jet set, the Burberry trench coat transcended its military origins to become a symbol of British refinement and Hollywood glamour. When playing the fashion plate Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn couldn't just run into the rain in any old coat. It had to be a Burberry trench coat. In Michael Curtiz's Casablanca, what else can you imagine Humphrey Bogart wearing when saying goodbye to Ingrid Bergman in that film noir growl? Here's looking at you, kid. Or how about more recent examples, like Meryl Streep in Kramer vs. Kramer or Daniel Craig's James Bond? What do these characters have in common? A certain savoir-faire attitude and mystery that has become synonymous with the trench. Each appearance on and off screen has added to the mythology and the main character feeling it bestows upon its wearer. Part of what has ensured the trench coat's longevity is its unwavering commitment not only to formal appeal but to its meticulous assembly. in the atelier Made in Castleford, Yorkshire, for more than 50 years, each piece is cut from gabardine, the technical fabric that remains at the heart of the house. An early 20th-century illustration from the Burberry archive Under the creative direction of Daniel Lee, Burberry continues to innovate bringing new life to the ever-classic trench coat. BY KAT HERRIMAN essentially burberry The craftsmanship of the trench coat has remained a hallmark of Burberry's DNA. Made in Castleford, Yorkshire, for over 50 years, each piece is cut from gabardine, the technical fabric that remains at the heart of the house. The construction process is intricate, with each specialist tailor taking a year to master the stitching of the collar, a critical part of the coat's structure. More than 180 stitches are needed to create the fluid curve that ensures the collar sits perfectly on the neck, so that it can later be clutched madly during a climactic makeup kiss in the rain. And while their collars are proprietary, it is perhaps not what people think of first when looking to identify a Burberry coat in a crowd. It's the iconic Burberry check lining, introduced in the 1920s, that has become a defining hallmark. Originally used to line raincoats, the check evolved into a status symbol and emblem of Britishness. For his Spring 2025 collection, Lee rendered the house's classic check in green and brown tones, recalling not only the landscape of the Castleford factory but his own childhood spent alongside it in rain-lush Yorkshire. In a deeply personal T BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M

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