Gabardine, World War I and one hundred years of relevance after. The history of the trench
The first trench coat was created in 1901 at the Thomas Burberry factory as an alternative to the water-repellent Macintosh raincoat, the fabric of which was impregnated with a rubber adhesive based on rubber and a solvent. In 1879, Thomas invented his own lighter fabric - gabardine, the outer side of which was made in a diagonal rib. This did not allow water to penetrate into the fabric, thereby ensuring the waterproofness of the raincoat.
During World War I, Burberry was a supplier of water-repellent overcoats for soldiers. Soldiers of the British army nicknamed the cloak "trench coat", then the model got its famous name.
During the Second World War, the Soviet Union and the United States began to supply their army with similar cloaks, but shorter. They did not hinder the movements of the soldiers, allowing them to remain more mobile.
In the post-war period, this item of clothing gained wide popularity among the civilian population. The trench coat has become a symbol of business style and respectability.
The classic trench coat was available in five cuts - Kensington, Westminster, Chelsea, Watreloo and Pimlico - each named after a London neighborhood that is unique in its own way.
The collar is an especially intricate and important piece. It takes a Burberry tailor a year to learn how to sew. More than 180 stitches need to be sewn by hand to achieve a smooth curve that fits perfectly around the neck.
Other brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger or Vetements, openly borrow the famous trench coat idea without departing from the classic color scheme. However, no matter how famous this brand is, they are still tacitly compared with the original from Burberry.
