Trench Coats & Parkas

The most architectural of outerwear — a coat defined by its hardware and its shoulder.

The vocabulary is worth knowing. A raglan sleeve runs in one piece to the collar, giving the soft, sloping shoulder; a set-in sleeve gives the sharper line. Double-breasted trenches carry the storm flap and belt; half-belt and wrap versions drop the hardware for a cleaner front. Swing and A-line cuts flare from the shoulder rather than the waist.

Cloth changes the coat entirely: cotton gabardine is the classic, wool makes it an overcoat, satin and pure silk make it evening, and technical shells sit closer to a parka than a trench. For how the coat changed from the 1910s to today, read trench coats by decade.

Each coat here is one of one. When it is gone, it is gone.

Vintage trench coats, answered

Is a trench coat waterproof?

A classic cotton gabardine trench is water-resistant, not waterproof. It sheds a shower and stops the wind, but sustained rain works through the cloth and the sewn seams; Burberry itself calls its gabardine shower-resistant (more in is a trench coat waterproof?). For a full day of rain, choose a coat with a membrane such as Gore-Tex or Sympatex, like the Sympatex maxi trench or the Schneiders Gore-Tex parka.

Is a trench coat warm enough for winter?

On its own, usually not. The trench was designed as a weatherproof shell worn over other layers; First World War officers wore a separate wool coat, the British warm, for warmth. A wool trench, a button-in liner or a heavy knit underneath takes one through autumn and a mild winter. For real cold, a wool overcoat, loden or shearling is the better coat.

What is the difference between a trench coat and a parka?

A trench is a belted, usually double-breasted coat without a hood, made to keep off wind and rain. A parka is a hooded coat, usually padded or lined, that began as an Arctic garment of the Inuit and is made first for cold. This collection holds both, along with car coats and dusters.

How much does a vintage trench coat cost?

Most trench coats here are priced between about €90 and €150 (October 2026), with designer pieces such as Burberrys and Versace above that. Each is one of one, and the cloth, the label and the condition decide the price.

Is a trench coat waterproof or warm? · Trench coats by decade · The Trench Coat Story