LONDON — Ahead of the official opening of “The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon” exhibition next Monday in the rarely seen Prince Consort Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British heritage brand offered a first look into the runway and archival display on Thursday, as the spring 2027 edition of London Fashion Week begins.
Trenchcoats from Burberry fall 2026 collection.
A major part of Burberry’s 170th anniversary celebrations that coincides with its spring 2027 show, the show is aimed at offering a concise history of the Burberry trench, charting its journey from military and outdoor gear to a global fashion icon.
The display features a Burberry trenchcoat from 1939.
Arranged in three chapters, the display opens with Invention, revisiting Thomas Burberry’s 1879 development of cotton gabardine and the way the fabric cemented the trench as sought-after protective outerwear that fused function and style. The following Craft section zooms in on the construction of the coat, unpicking the hand-finished collar, house check lining, storm flap and detachable throat latch.
The display features a children’s trenchcoat from 1970.
The final installment under the name Creativity spotlights 19 runway looks from current chief creative officer Daniel Lee and his predecessor Christopher Bailey. This part will be displayed under a ceiling of illuminated clouds, inspired by a John Constable oil painting of Hampstead Heath in the V&A collection.
Alongside the runway pieces, the show is also showcasing rarely seen material from both the Burberry Archive and the V&A’s holdings, from early 20th-century catalogues to a trenchcoat worn by Savile Row tailor and couturier Hardy Amies, going on public display for the first time.
Trench ballgown from Burberry fall 2022.
The exhibition, running until Jan. 3, also sets the stage for The Burberry Gallery, a major overhaul of the V&A’s fashion galleries.
As reported, Burberry last year pledged to refurbish the space, which was originally scheduled to open in spring 2027. The project is now expected to be unveiled in the fall of 2028.
Brand founder Thomas Burberry
The Fashion Gallery was last structurally redeveloped in 1962, and it remained one of the most visited and largest dedicated permanent gallery spaces at the South Kensington site, according to the museum.
