The London Lounge

What are your opinions of Burberry trenchcoats please?

The trenchcoat has been the most iconic garment of the Burberry brand for a century and they used to have excellent workmanship for a RTW item. In recent years Burberry has been moving its production from the UK to China and critics say the quality is not the same. Maybe they have been encountering fake ones (nowadays almost impossible to distinguish for the untrained eye) instead of the real McCoy. In 2011 Burberry launched its "bespoke" trenchcoat service (Made in England). It's a gimmick. It's not really bespoke, not even MTM. It's just a customization service where you can change the lining, the collar and other few small features. I also believe that Burberry has abandoned what distinguished them most, moving their designs away from the original functionality of the trenchcoat towards a more marketable -but IMO much less desirable- fashion item.

Have you considered Mackintosh? I've not worn one, but they look on a par with Burberry and are made in the UK.

Although I own what we may call a "mackintosh", it is really just a plain raincoat and not the Mackintosh brand. I visited the beautiful Mackintosh shop in Mayfair this past summer and had the chance of looking at the rubberized cotton garments. They do not carry my size thought (nobody does). I also think that -as it happens with Burberry- the garments are a bit on the skimpy side regarding the amount of material. This withdraws a lot from their functionality.

Not to gear too much off topic.

But all I can say about Burberry, is the ads I remember as recent as 1997 of a gentleman wearing a tailored suit, French cuffed shirt, and tie with a draped Burberry trench coat over his arm getting off a train has been replaced by well... garbage.

Best Regards,

Cufflink79

Why not bespeak a trenchcoat? You can buy Ventile fabric at a reasonable price, which is very wind-and-waterproof, not oily and lasts forever. Your tailor can provide any features you wish for, be it button-in linings or detachable hoods with peaks. It will probably outlast you so you'll only need one in your lifetime. Burberry went hopelessly downmarket some years ago to appeal to the hoodie fraternity.

Simon A wrote: Burberry went hopelessly downmarket some years ago to appeal to the hoodie fraternity.

So much that, even the "Creative Officer" for the firm recommends wearing their trench coats open all the way at the front and rolled and tied at the back with its own belt. Just this fact will give you some idea (to stay away).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMIK1rMMu7M

Mercifully, the world has passed waxed cotton by. There are so many better (aesthetically and functionally) options.

Aristide wrote:Mercifully, the world has passed waxed cotton by.

Not quite. Barbour has been breaking its own sales records every year for the last few and expanding internationally big time. At the head of the list: waxed cotton jackets.

Aristide wrote:There are so many better (aesthetically and functionally) options.

Well I recognize that one could make a case, for Ventile for example. But there is a certain low tech charm in re-waxing or mending one´s old Moorland. I believe wax cotton jackets like that are a work of art and a joy to wear.

Simon A wrote:Why not bespeak a trenchcoat? You can buy Ventile fabric at a reasonable price, which is very wind-and-waterproof, not oily and lasts forever.

This is a good idea Simon, thank you. I had an old Burberry trench, bought some 30 years ago, a marvelous piece, which I gave to charity some years ago before even looking for a new one. When I went to Burberry for getting a new one, I was out of the shop as quickly as I was in

About two years ago, Liberty had a special Barbour edition trench made for them. I got one of those, and it is great. However, a bit too sporty and not as elegant as the old Burberry trench has been.

Cheers, David

Simon A wrote:Why not bespeak a trenchcoat? You can buy Ventile fabric at a reasonable price, which is very wind-and-waterproof, not oily and lasts forever.

No doubt bespeaking is always a good advice. Notwithstanding, I´m obliged to send out a word of caution regarding Ventile. The fabric has been available for more than 60 years now, and beyond sports, climbers, explorers, military pilots and -of course- George W. Bush´s "flashers Mac"', it has found little use in good tailoring. The reason for this sartorial underutilization -I believe- has to do more with its look and feel than with its limited production. Despite being -on top of the good qualities stated by Simon A- a natural fiber (tightly woven cotton), breathable, silent and not expensive at all, it doesn´t look great, its colors are rather drab, it doesn´t drape well, it bulks and loses its shape, ant its feel to the touch needs some getting used to. And when it gets wet (although it keeps you dry because it "closes itself"), it is actually wet and looks wet (it gets darker).
I own an Orvis very casual walker jacket made of Ventile and it´s an excellent piece of garment. But I wouldn´t recommend bespeaking a full length trenchcoat made out of the fabric.

Thank you for a very informative posting. I was wondering about Ventile qualities. Here is the answer. So, were you to bespoke a rainwear which fabric would you pick? Thanks in advance.

hectorm wrote:
No doubt bespeaking is always a good advice. Notwithstanding, I´m obliged to send out a word of caution regarding Ventile. The fabric has been available for more than 60 years now, and beyond sports, climbers, explorers, military pilots and -of course- George W. Bush´s "flashers Mac"', it has found little use in good tailoring. The reason for this sartorial underutilization -I believe- has to do more with its look and feel than with its limited production. Despite being -on top of the good qualities stated by Simon A- a natural fiber (tightly woven cotton), breathable, silent and not expensive at all, it doesn´t look great, its colors are rather drab, it doesn´t drape well, it bulks and loses its shape, ant its feel to the touch needs some getting used to. And when it gets wet (although it keeps you dry because it "closes itself"), it is actually wet and looks wet (it gets darker).
I own an Orvis very casual walker jacket made of Ventile and it´s an excellent piece of garment. But I wouldn´t recommend bespeaking a full length trenchcoat made out of the fabric.

I think part of the trouble would be that Ventile would not work well as a structured garment. But I think as an unstructured and possibly unlined Mac or raincoat it would protect the wearer from the elements although perhaps a little shapeless or baggy. The alternative is the ghastly 'technical wear' that stinks, and sweats like billy-o.

castiglione wrote: So, were you to bespoke a rainwear which fabric would you pick? Thanks in advance.

Hello Castiglione.
What kind of garment do you have in mind? Are you looking for just a shell for warm weather, something that is lightweight and easy to fold and toss in your suitcase for traveling? Or are you looking for a fully tailored trenchcoat or mac with a warm lining? In very general terms, the former would required ideally a light single layer of cotton (maybe blended with a bit of nylon and, forgive me, polyester) unlined and with some durable water repellent treatment outside. This water repellent treatment will not diminish the breathability of the garment. Avoid cotton that is coated inside with polyurethane since this will do make it loose its breathability. A more substantial raincoat, if you don't mind more weight and bulk, would require ideally a laminated cloth (with the new techno membranes it would be almost bullet proof, stand any sustained downpour but still be breathable). This raincoat will still require the durable water repellent treatment on the outer layer.
In any case, if you're going bespoke, there will be plenty of samples in the shop.
My favorite "raincoat", and only one bespoken, is an old fly front covert coat made of gabardine that has been re-treated several times with water repellent.

My favorite "raincoat", and only one bespoken, is an old fly front covert coat made of gabardine that has been re-treated several times with water repellent.

I have been on the look out for a dressy raincoat for a few years, to no avail. Apart from the quality and fit issues already mentioned ..there is the colour. I find with a fair complexion, that there is one colour which looks great, but the smallest deviation can make you look washed out. I decided that the answer is to use a light overcoat which would look okay in summer rain..and perhaps one that you're not too precious about. A covert coat would be ideal for this..good advice !...thanks..