Raincoat, trench coat

Woman's satin viscose trenchcoat, 2004. Designed by Christopher Bailey for Burberry Prorsum. This belted double breasted coat is based on the traditional Burberry trenchcoat which was developed for military wear in the trenches of the First World War and later adapted for civilian wear. This fashionable reinterpretation is made from a luxurious feminine fabric. It has raglan sleeves, epaulettes and a storm flap across the back shoulders, with a residual flap on the left front only.

When Thomas Burberry opened his Basingstoke outfitters in 1856 he could not have imagined that his firm, which specialised in waterproofs and country clothing, would grow into a multi-million pound global brand. The firm thrived in the inter-war period but after the Second World War the appeal of its high quality, classic styles gradually diminished. In 1997 Burberry appointed Rose Marie Bravo as Chief Executive who in turn employed the designer Roberto Menichetti to launch a high fashion line, Burberry Prorsum. This line, supported by eye-catching advertising campaigns featuring celebrities like the model Kate Moss, created a huge response within the fashion world and successfully re-branded the firm's image.

Acquired with the aid of the Friends of Fashion Purchase Fund