The Burberry guide: trench coat, check, labels and sizing
What to know before buying pre-owned Burberry: where the brand comes from, how the trench coat and the check developed, how the label dates an item and how to check authenticity and sizing.
In this guide
Pre-owned Burberry is judged on three things: the label, which dates the item, the details, which should agree with each other, and the measurements, which say more than the size on the label. This guide covers each of them briefly and points to the pages that go deeper.
Burberry is a British brand founded in 1856. It is best known for the trench coat and the check, and both have changed little in decades, which is why an older Burberry item still looks recognisably Burberry today.
A short history of Burberry
Thomas Burberry opened his first store in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in 1856, at the age of 21. In 1879 he introduced gabardine, a tightly woven cloth that keeps out rain while letting air through. The Equestrian Knight logo was selected through a public competition around 1901, the Tielocken coat of 1912 was a direct predecessor of the trench coat, and during the First World War Burberry developed the trench coat for British officers. The check followed in the 1920s, first as a lining.
The Burberry trench coat
The classic Burberry trench coat is double-breasted, with epaulettes, a storm flap, a belt and buckled straps at the cuffs. The single-breasted version is plainer and wears more like a raincoat. Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster are the names of the Heritage Trench cuts that Burberry introduced in 2014, so a coat with one of those names dates from 2014 or later. The available coats are collected under Burberry trench coats.
The Burberry check
The Burberry check is the camel, black, white and red pattern that Burberry introduced in the 1920s as the lining of the trench coat. Burberry calls it the Burberry Check, and Nova check is the name most often used in the pre-owned market. The check has been in use for a century, so it cannot date an item, and on outerwear it usually sits on the inside.
How to date Burberry by its label
The label gives two dividing lines. In 1999 the company changed its name from Burberrys to Burberry, so a label with the s generally belongs to an item made before 1999. Until around 2015 Burberry also used the sub-labels London, Brit and Prorsum, which were then brought together under a single Burberry label.
| Period | Label | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1999 | Burberrys or Burberrys of London | The s at the end of the name |
| 1999 to around 2015 | Burberry, with a London, Brit or Prorsum sub-label | The name of the line on the label |
| Around 2015 onwards | A single Burberry label | No sub-label |
Label stock does not change overnight, so each date marks a period rather than an exact year.
How to spot fake Burberry
No single detail proves that a Burberry item is authentic. The label, the hardware, the stitching, the lining and the check should agree with each other and with the era of the item. On a well-made item the check continues across seams and pockets, and genuine gabardine feels dense and slightly stiff. The seven checks are set out in Spotting fake Burberry. Every item is authenticated through LegitApp before it is added to the store. Every item is also professionally cleaned, and any imperfection is stated in the condition description of the item.
Burberry sizing
Women's and men's Burberry run on different size scales, cuts differ between eras, and a trench coat is cut with room to be worn over a jacket. The size on an older label is therefore only a rough guide. Every item is measured flat at four points: chest, shoulders, length and sleeve. With raglan sleeves there is no shoulder seam, so there are three measurements instead of four. Items shown on a model state the model's height and usual size instead of the four measurements. Measuring an item that already fits and comparing it with those numbers shows how a new one will wear, as explained in the guide to measuring pit to pit.
Burberry coats, jackets and knitwear
Next to the trench coat, Burberry makes car coats, single-breasted and without a belt, duffle coats with toggles and a hood, and long overcoats. The Harrington jacket and the quilted jacket are the best-known short jackets, and the knitwear includes jumpers and cardigans. The full range is under Burberry, with separate pages for women and men.
How to style Burberry
Burberry works best with restraint: a trench coat worn open over plain layers, and the check as the only pattern in an outfit. Beige, navy and brown combine easily with each other and with the rest of a wardrobe. A crewneck over a shirt, with the collar showing at the neck, is the classic way to wear Burberry knitwear.
Questions about Burberry
What was Burberry called before?
The company traded as Burberrys until 1999, when it changed its name to Burberry. A label reading Burberrys generally belongs to an item made before 1999.
What is the Burberry pattern called?
It is the Burberry check, usually called the Nova check in the pre-owned market. Burberry introduced it in the 1920s as the lining of the trench coat.
Where is Burberry from?
Burberry is a British brand. Thomas Burberry founded it in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in 1856.
Did Burberry invent the trench coat?
Burberry developed the trench coat for British officers during the First World War, on the gabardine cloth that Thomas Burberry introduced in 1879. The Tielocken coat of 1912 was its direct predecessor.
How can the age of a Burberry item be told?
The label gives a first indication. Burberrys generally means before 1999, and a London, Brit or Prorsum sub-label generally means before around 2015.
