Burberry is opening up its archive to the public as the British luxury house celebrates its 170th anniversary with a new exhibition at London's V&A Museum.
Running from 21 September 2026 until 3 January 2027, 'The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon' will transform the V&A South Kensington's rarely accessible Prince Consort Gallery into a showcase dedicated to one of fashion's most recognisable garments. The free exhibition brings together archival pieces from Burberry alongside objects from the museum's own collection, charting how the trench coat evolved from practical outerwear into a global symbol of British design.
The display explores the story behind the brand's construction and cultural longevity. Visitors will begin with the invention of cotton gabardine by Burberry founder Thomas Burberry in 1879, the weather-resistant fabric that laid the foundations for the trench coat's reputation as dependable military and outdoor apparel before its eventual crossover into mainstream fashion.
The exhibition also pulls apart the craftsmanship behind the design, examining the functional details that have become signatures of the Burberry trench. Features including the hand-finished collar, detachable throat latch, storm flap and House Check lining will be highlighted to show how each element served a practical purpose while contributing to the coat's enduring identity.
The final section shifts the focus from heritage to reinvention, presenting 19 runway interpretations of the trench spanning the past 25 years. Designs from current Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee sit alongside creations by former creative leader Christopher Bailey, illustrating how successive generations have continued to reinterpret the silhouette without losing sight of its origins.
Alongside the garments themselves, the exhibition will feature archive material being shown publicly for the first time. Among the highlights are early 20th-century Burberry catalogues and a trench coat once worn by British fashion designer Hardy Amies, offering a deeper look into the brand's history beyond the runway.
The project also reinforces the growing relationship between Burberry and the V&A. The exhibition arrives ahead of the opening of The Burberry Gallery in autumn 2028, a major redevelopment of the museum's fashion galleries supported through a long-term partnership between the two institutions.
Speaking about the collaboration, the V&A said the exhibition celebrates a garment that has remained relevant for more than a century while continuing to evolve, with Burberry describing the trench as a design icon that reflects the house's longstanding commitment to British craftsmanship, innovation and creativity.
'The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon' opens at the V&A South Kensington on 21 September and will remain on display until 3 January 2027. Admission is free.
