Which iconic garment is Burberry best known for?

Burberry is best known for its trench coat. The garment grew from the company’s expertise in weather-resistant outerwear and became an icon of British fashion.

The trench coat was developed for military use around the First World War. Its practical details included a double-breasted front, belt, epaulettes, storm flap, cuff straps, and deep pockets. These features helped officers manage rain, wind, and field equipment.

Burberry’s gabardine fabric was central to the coat’s success because it was tightly woven, durable, lightweight, and breathable compared with older rubberized rainwear. After the war, the coat moved from military clothing into civilian wardrobes.

A common mix-up is confusing the trench coat with a generic overcoat or parka. While those are also outer garments, the belted, military-influenced trench coat is the distinctive Burberry design. Its fame was reinforced by appearances on figures such as Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn.