First Look: Inside The V&A’s Free Burberry Display

Can’t wait until the newly refurbished Burberry Gallery opens its doors in 2028? Well, now you don’t have to. The V&A is giving visitors a small taste of its ongoing collaboration with the British fashion house via a brand new free-to-enter display, which is set to open its doors this Monday (21 September 2026). Before you go, here’s everything you need to know about The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon.

The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon At The V&A – Dates, Details & What’s On Display

(c) Burberry/The V&A

The Burberry takeover at the V&A continues, with the announcement that a brand new display is coming to the gallery’s rarely seen Prince Consort Gallery later this year. Offering a snapshot of the history of the brand, told through its signature trench coat, the display will explore more than a century’s worth of British luxury.

‘As we mark 170 years of the house, we are thrilled to partner with the V&A to celebrate the enduring legacy of the Burberry trench coat – a global design icon rooted in British craftsmanship and a symbol of innovation, creativity and timeless style,’ said Carly Eck, Brand Curator at Burberry.

The news comes as the V&A continues its transformation of its Fashion Gallery, which is set to open in autumn 2028. ‘In advance of the V&A and Burberry partnership on the forthcoming Fashion Gallery, we are delighted to work with the Burberry Archive to showcase the history of the celebrated trench coat: a British fashion staple that has stood the test of time and continues to evolve over a century on,’ said Oriole Cullen, Senior Curator, Fashion and Textiles at the V&A.

(c) Burberry/The V&A

So, what can we expect from The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon? Here’s what’s on display:

What’s On Display?

Bringing together items from the V&A collection and the Burberry Archive, the showcase will trace the history of the trench from practical origins to modern luxury through a huge selection of clothing, accessories, drawings and more. As Eck teases: ‘A myriad of objects from the brand’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.’

The display itself, meanwhile, will be separated into three parts: Invention, Craft and Creativity.

Kicking off with Thomas Burberry’s invention of cotton gabardine in 1879, ‘Invention’ will explore the material’s early use in the Burberry trench – and its practical applications across the years. The display will then flow into ‘Craft’, a section dedicated to the carefully crafted elements that make up the Burberry trench (with special attention paid to the design’s hand-finished collar and signature House Check lining), before concluding with ‘Creativity’. It’s in this third and final segment that the display will spotlight 19 standout runway looks from the past 25 years, and also highlight the longstanding relationship between Burberry and the V&A.

Insider Highlights

At the exhibition preview, C&TH spoke to Carly Eck, Brand Curator at Burberry, to find out her top picks from the show.

(c) Burberry/The V&A

1. The Wartime Trench

Located at the beginning of the display is a very special Burberry trench, dating back to World War Two. A popular choice for military officers at the time, thanks to its weatherproof credentials and practical design, Carly points out that the trench became synonymous with wartime Britain. ‘This is the first of my three highlights: the 1939 trench coat, one of our earliest trench coats in the collection, was worn by a lieutenant colonel in the British Army. It’s a real key piece.’

(c) Burberry/The V&A

2. The Red Ski Suit

Not a typical trench, but an important piece of Burberry history, this cherry-toned ski suit comes with one very famous wearer. ‘My second key piece would be the red ski suit worn by the Duchess of Argyll,’ says Carly. ‘It’s an incredibly fun, stylish piece. It also speaks to Burberry outfitting adventurous women in the early 20th century.’

3. Daniel Lee’s AW26 Collection

Her third and final highlight is a bit more contemporary: a trench designed by current Chief Creative Officer, Daniel Lee, decorated with a sprawling map of London. ‘It was really, really tough to pick a final highlight, but I’m actually really loving Daniel’s Autumn/Winter 2026 collection,’ says Carly. ‘I particularly love the map print trench.’

Where & When?

The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon will open in the Prince Consort Gallery at V&A South Kensington, and will run from 21 September 2026 until 3 January 2027. 

Do You Need Tickets?

No, you won’t need tickets. The V&A announced that The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon will be a free display rather than a ticketed exhibition, meaning anyone will be able to visit when it opens.

Find out more at vam.ac.uk