The Burberry Trench Gets Its Own V&A Exhibition This Autumn

Burberry Trench V&A Exhibition 2026: What to Know

There are very few garments in the history of fashion that have earned the right to an entire museum exhibition. The Burberry trench coat is one of them, and from 21 September 2026, the V&A is making that case with a dedicated free display at South Kensington.

The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon runs until 3 January 2027 in the Prince Consort Gallery, a rarely opened space within the museum that very few visitors will have seen before. The exhibition arrives as part of Burberry’s 170th anniversary celebrations and marks the beginning of a longer partnership between the house and the V&A that will eventually see the museum’s fashion galleries reopen in 2028 as The Burberry Gallery. Think of this display as the opening statement of that relationship.

What the Exhibition Covers

The exhibition unfolds across three distinct chapters: Invention, Craft, and Creativity. The first, Invention, takes the story back to its origin. Thomas Burberry invented cotton gabardine in 1879, after founding the brand in 1856, and the exhibition traces how that weatherproof material led to the establishment of the trench as both functional outerwear and a piece that combined protection with genuine style.Burberry trench coats are still made using gabardine woven at the brand’s mill in Keighley, Yorkshire, and tailored at its factory in Castleford, which gives the British manufacturing story a current dimension rather than simply a historical one.

The Craft chapter examines the construction details that have defined the coat for over a century, the storm flap, the D-rings, the gun flap, the belted silhouette, the elements that began as military practicalities and became design signatures.

Creativity closes the exhibition with the coat’s cultural life, tracing how one functional garment became one of the most referenced pieces in global fashion. Nineteen standout runway looks from the past 25 years will be presented, including designs by Burberry’s chief creative director.

What Makes This Worth Visiting

The archive material alone justifies the trip. A myriad of objects from Burberry’s archive will be publicly exhibited for the first time, from early 20th-century catalogues to a Burberry trench coat worn by fashion designer Hardy Amies. Alongside those pieces, the V&A has drawn from its own collection to complete the picture, which means this is not simply a brand exercise but a genuinely curated fashion history.

The opening date carries its own significance. The exhibition opens on 21 September, the final day of London Fashion Week, and coincides with Burberry’s catwalk show. If you are in London for the shows, or simply want to mark the end of fashion month with something more considered than a scroll through the show reviews, this is a strong option.

The Practical Detail

The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon is free to visit throughout its run. It opens Monday 21 September 2026 and closes Sunday 3 January 2027 at the Prince Consort Gallery, V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.

The V&A is open daily. No booking required for free displays, though it is worth checking the museum’s website closer to the opening date in case timed entry is introduced for a display of this scale.

For more on the Burberry trench coat and how to wear it, our guide to the Best Trench Coats Worth Buying in 2026 covers the pieces that earn their place season after season.

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