The Trench Gets a Nightlife

In 1914, Thomas Burberry was commissioned by the British War Office to create a jacket for its trench-fighting soldiers. Burberry added a few warfare-ready bells and whistles to his existing “Tielocken” style—made from gabardine, the company’s own waterproofed worsted cotton creation—and so the “trench” coat was born.

Since its sobering, utilitarian beginnings the iconic slicker has had a few insanely glamorous moments—who can forget a rain-drenched Holly Golightly chasing after “Cat” in beige Burberry, or Kim Basinger’s long silky version in Adrian Lyne’s steamy “9½ Weeks”—but never one quite like this. For spring, designers recast the masculine rainy-day classic in delicate fabrics made to accompany even the most ornate of evening gowns.

Phillip Lim stitched one in porcelain-colored organza embroidered with tiny twisted threads that stand on end like pre-party goosebumps, and Thakoon Panichgul crafted a midnight-blue eyelet piece with fluttering panels of silk organza. Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz took a lavish yet unstructured approach with his wilted washed-taffeta version, while Ralph Lauren went old Hollywood with a luminous silver trench in double-faced charmeuse silk. These clever cover-ups are a cool alternative to wearing a pashmina or your lint-y work coat with a full-length gown this spring. And although these light-as-air beauties may have come a long way from their warring roots, think of them as winning armor in your fight to be belle of the ball.

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