Lately, the trenchcoat has been reappearing on the world’s most scrutinized sidewalks, worn by figures such as Teyana Taylor, Lila Moss, and A$AP Rocky in versions that look pointedly unremarkable: belted, clean-lined, largely free of embellishment. Simple, perhaps—but impossible to ignore.
The trenchcoat did not begin its life as a style statement. In the late 19th century, Thomas Burberry developed gabardine, a tightly woven, breathable, weather-resistant fabric that represented a technical leap forward in outerwear. It was used in coats designed to endure prolonged exposure to the elements during trench combat in World War I—hence the name. The trench’s belt, epaulets, storm flaps, and cuff straps were strictly functional, with nothing added for effect.
What followed, once the war ended, was less reinvention than translation. The trench made a seamless…
