Spring 2022 trend: the trench coat

In fashion, it’s known, trends repeat themselves cyclically. For Spring 2022 it is the turn of the trench coat, timeless cornerstone of both men’s and women’s wardrobe, that has become a must have for this season.

This type of raincoat has existed for almost a century and comes from the outerwear worn by soldiers in the trenches.

The origins of its creation are not clear, as more manufacturers claim its invention. The oldest of these is certainly Makintosh, a company, now Japanese-owned, once called Charles Macintosh & Co. and founded in Manchester in 1824. It was Charles Macintosh who invented a way to make fabrics waterproof by smearing them with a thin layer of rubber, so the company is among the first producers of raincoats even if their models are quite different from those we know today.

In 1851, John Emary created the Aquascutum, a raincoat that was so successful that it later gave its name to his brand and was chosen to be worn by soldiers employed in the Crimean and the Boer Wars.

For the First World War, Aquascutum began to produce the trench coat in almost the same way as we know it today but it will be another company that will come even closer to the contemporary version: Burberrys. Even this label will produce the garments initially for military purposes and from 1891, with the opening of its first store in London, they will also be available to the public and, later, made famous by actors such as Humphrey Bogart, up to the present day.

Originally in khaki, camel and olive green, the trench has over the years expanded its range to other colors, in various shades, no longer related to military use but now become classics such as beige, gray, ice, blue and black.

Today the rules for the production of this outerwear are not as rigid as they used to be. The various brands were inspired by the original silhouette but now they play with the fabrics, lengths, prints and colors, making this garment really suitable for everyone.

Cut-out, asymmetries, embroideries, mix of patterns, shades and materials, today’s designers have created endless proposals so anyone can find one or more versions of the trench coat, to wear and match in the most disparate ways during the course of the Spring season.

Here is a selection of 10 men’s and women’s trench coats that could inspire your look.