V&A and Burberry to Present Free Trench Coat Exhibition

The Victoria and Albert Museum, in collaboration with Burberry, has unveiled The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon, a complimentary exhibition set to launch at V&A South Kensington on 21 September 2026 and continue until 3 January 2027. Celebrating Burberry’s 170th anniversary, this display will be housed in the seldom-used Prince Consort Gallery. It features unique items from the Burberry Archive alongside pieces from the V&A collection, divided into three segments: 'Invention' focuses on Thomas Burberry’s 1879 cotton gabardine innovation; 'Craft' delves into the trench coat's construction; and 'Creativity' presents 19 runway designs from the last 25 years by Daniel Lee and Christopher Bailey. The exhibition also highlights the enduring partnership between the V&A and Burberry, leading to the opening of The Burberry Gallery in autumn 2028. Oriole Cullen and Carly Eck shared insights on this collaboration, tracing the trench's journey from military wear to a celebrated emblem of British fashion.