Trench Coat –
From Field to Fashion at
The Gallery, Winchester Discovery Centre

 

IT is a fashion classic that has stood the test of time.

The trench coat is seen on the catwalk, silver screen and the pages of glossy magazines on the shoulders of celebrities including Kate Middleton, Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne.

A free exhibition has opened in Winchester to explore how the iconic garment has evolved through time.

But despite the heavy clue in its name, what many do not realise is the fashion staple’s first starring role was in the First World War for officers on the battlefield – and that story began in Hampshire in 1879.

Inspired by the local shepherds’ woven smocks, Thomas Burberry, who set up his first drapery shop in Winchester Street, Basingstoke, aged 21, invented a special fabric for a comfortable and rain-resistant coat. This fabric – known as gabardine – was a huge success and Burberry applied this new cloth technology to his trench coat design.

When the First World War broke out, Burberry manufactured trench coats for officers from its factories, including one in Staple Gardens, Winchester, which opened in 1913 – a stone’s throw from today’s exhibition venue.

Exhibition curator, Tara McKinney, who is responsible for bringing the trench coat back full circle to where it first began, explains: “The exhibition is part of Hampshire’s Big Theme 1914 to commemorate the First World War and it’s wonderful to reveal this fascinating history and regional connection to a garment that is an enduring classic.

“I don’t think some visitors even realise the connection with the First World War and why it’s called a trench coat. Manufacturers adapted their best products for officers, offering coats that were stylish and durable to endure the harsh conditions of trench warfare.

“It seems the Staple Gardens connection in particular is a bit of a revelation for many locals.

“We have a wonderful image in the exhibition of the Winchester branch in 1916 – so they were definitely manufacturing during the First World War, and probably made a contribution to the half a million trench coats that Burberry supplied to officers during the First World War.

“I hope the show will make people look at their coat with fresh eyes.”

After the war, Hollywood adopted the famous coat to become synonymous with roles such as the gangster, the femme fatale and the private detective with stars including Marlene Dietrich, Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn becoming style icons in their trench coats throughout the decades.

Trench Coat – From Field to Fashion, introduced by Hilary Alexander OBE, takes place at The Gallery, Winchester Discovery Centre, until December 21. Admission is free.

It features an exclusive display of historical and modern trench coats by designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Comme des Garcons, Viktor & Rolf and Burberry.

The iconic coat worn by Marlene Dietrich in the 1948 film, A Foreign Affair, will be on display on loan from Berlin’s Deutsche Kinemathek among others.