The Burberry trench is back – and you’ll need deep pockets to buy one

The classic Burberry trench coat doesn’t change from season to season. Referred to as “heritage”, this coat continues to attract those looking for both new and vintage pieces.

People with deep pockets need to be prepared to spend $4390 for a plaid cotton-lined Burberry, while those with less dosh can still find a vintage trench, often with the nova checked wool zip-out lining, for between $600 and $800.

The Burberry trench coat is still sold today, and continues to undergo new iterations and designs.Credit: Bloomberg

This writer was fortunate to inherit his father’s navy Burberry, circa 1970s, with the desirable detachable nova. But, for an architecture writer prone to wearing black, it was inevitable that a dye company would need to step in.

The Burberry company, founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry at the ripe old age of 21, patented the coat’s unique gabardine fabric, which was not only rainproof but also relatively lightweight.

His first store in London’s Haymarket must have drawn a crowd by those looking for style as much as protection from the inclement weather.

“The Burberry trench remains a classic today. We usually receive about 10 of these each season,” says Emily Nielsenbeck, the owner of two Bruce stores in Melbourne and one in Hobart.

“Sometimes, those that are slightly flawed sell for as low as $250, appealing more to the student market. And in terms of consistency, we’ve been selling them for the last 15 years.”

Even those who aren’t interested in fashion would most likely detect a Burberry trench coat passing by. Belted at the waist and often with buttoned straps on each sleeve, the heritage coats (as opposed to the seasonal variations presented in the Burberry collections) are often in navy or a beige tone known as “honey”.

Even damaged Burberry coats sell for as much as $250.Credit: Bruce Consignment

“The cut of the heritage never changes, which makes it a timeless piece of clothing,” says Andrew Shapiro, managing director of Shapiro Auctioneers in Sydney.

According to Shapiro, even though the silhouettes of the classic trenches change significantly, those from the 1970s and ’80s are currently popular, given their weight as opposed to those from the 1950s and ’60s, which are lighter and less durable.

“The most recent sale was $600 plus buyer’s premium, which takes it to around $750,” says Shapiro, who says that, with a removable woollen zip liner the price would have been north of $800, plus buyer’s premium. If it’s honey coloured, the price can even be more.

While this writer is hanging onto his Burberry trench, complete with woollen lining, it may not have been the wisest decision to dye it black – at least in a monetary sense.

“When you change an original design, whether it’s the form or the colour, the price will slightly dip,” says Nielsenbeck. Fortunately, my trench is from the right period, the 1970s.

“Burberry trenches, particularly from the 1970s, are experiencing strong traction,” Nielsenbeck says. “They work with the ’70s-inspired silhouettes that are now popular – with wide trousers and boots.”

Although designer Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s creative director from 2001 until 2018, added momentum to the trench, it’s now in the hands of Riccardo Tisci, the company’s chief creative officer.

And while each collection brings new versions of the trench, including the ballgown version once worn by supermodel Naomi Campbell, it’s the classic heritage that continues to appear on the street, rather than in an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

“The classic Burberry will always hold, as much as increase, in value, irrespective of the swings of fashion,” Shapiro says.

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