Once More Unto the Trenches: The Best Coats for Winter
The tides of fashion turn with each given season, tossing up various ebbs, flows, fads and passing trends. Great huffs of ephemeral nonsense surround those occasional flashes of brilliance - those moments which seem to hang around just long enough to make an impact - before fading into some great beyond frozen forever in cringe-inducing photos, locked away at the arse-end of our smartphone’s saved files.
We don’t care much for that here at The Last Concierge. Our concerns focus primarily on the timeless, the distinguished, the reliable… and few men’s style staples cover those all-important bases quite as effectively as the trenchcoat.
Full-length coats have been around in some form or another for centuries. However, the trenchcoat, or at least the trenchcoat as we know it today, probably had its genesis sometime in the 1820s, when rubberised fabrics opened the gate for sturdy yet flexible overwear. As is so often the case, military technology quite literally led the field, but before long, the mid or full-length trench, complete with panelling and double-breasted embellishments, joined the ranks of civilian streetwear. Humphrey Bogart, forever encapsulated as a suave style icon in Casablanca, kick-started the coat’s appeal among the streetwise gents of the 20th century, and the world of men’s fashion has simply never looked back. Such is the nature of timelessness.
It’s this essence of evergreen style, this bonafide balancing act of the practical and the elegant, that we call out for more than ever before as the calendar turns to 2025. Men’s fashion has once again slipped into some discomforted hinterland, and once again, we turn our attention to the staples which steadfastly refuse to let us down.
Let’s take a closer look at the trenchcoats deserving a place on your coat rack this year, and for many, many years to come.
Burberry
The Mid-Length Kensington Heritage Trench
Could this list truly begin with any other name? London’s most iconic menswear brand has been knocking it out of the park for generations, and despite a brief dip in the 90s - who else remembers the ‘no trainers, no baseball caps, no Burberry’ signs outside nightclubs? - Burberry has set the utmost standard when it comes to trenchcoat design and distinction.
With its unmistakable honeyed tones, house tartan lining and dogged commitment to quality, the Mid-Length Kensington Heritage Trench Coat remains every bit as beautiful as ever. Forever treading the line between distinguished gent and rock ‘n’ roll star, it’s a favourite for all the right reasons.
JW Anderson
JW Anderson Wool-Nylon Drill Trench Coat
Playfully addressing the trench’s military history, this darker, moodier and altogether more eye-catching trenchcoat certainly stands out on the high street and wherever else in the world it may be worn. Both effortlessly modern and undeniably timeless (and if you’ve been reading carefully, ain’t that the very essence of this menswear classic?) it contrasts its retro appeal with contemporary flourishes including a sleek belt and cuffs complete with silver detailing.
A classic double-breasted enclosure, martial shoulder epaulets and slim silhouette ensure this trench makes one hell of a statement. A truly spectacular piece, the JW Anderson Wool-Nylon Drill Trench Coat promises a lifetime of savoir-faire.
Bottega Veneta
The Bonded Notebook Trench
Look, I’ve spent the past 500 words or so waxing lyrical about the timeless allure of the trenchcoat… so here’s one that bucks the trend, proves the rule, and yet somehow looks every bit as good as the others on this list. The Bonded Notebook Trench Coat from Bottega Veneta is a futuristic trenchcoat that subverts all expectations while managing to do everything a good trench should: look fantastic and distinctive, provide a practical outerwear solution, and instill the wearer with the confidence that they’re the best-dressed men for at least a mile radius. Simply put, I love it.
It’s an expression of individuality that wears its front and rear storm flap with pride, reminiscent of Gary Numan-esque retrofuturism, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, and style expressions that are still yet to pass. What’s not to love?
Thom Browne
Unstructured Wool Blend Twill Trench
We associate the trenchcoat so thoroughly with British menswear that it remains somewhat surprising to see American designers hit the spot so sweetly, but we’re all for surprises when they look as good as this one. I adore the stormy grey tones and militaristic flourishes of the Unstructured Wool Blend Twill Trench from Thom Browne, and the rather boisterous lapels and oversized belt brings a derring-do attitude I seriously wouldn’t mind taking out downtown.
It’s somewhere between 80s Yuppie chic and 50s air force charm, and yet - my god - it works a treat.
Coach
The Relaxed Trench
OK, OK, it’s another American brand. And yet when it comes to relatively affordable (around £300) trenchcoats, Coach is a design house that remains undeniably appealing. Is there anything particularly outstanding or spectacular about this one? No. And yet that’s exactly the point - it’s a workhorse of a trenchcoat, perfectly cut and put together, providing daytime elegance with officewear or something entirely reliable and stylish to wear when out and about on the weekend.
The leather detailing on the cuffs is unquestionably cool, the double breasted front isn’t too flashy, the colouration is spot-on… who could possibly refuse its charms?
