{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1508939"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1508939/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1508939","accessionNumber":"T.22:1&2-2026","objectType":"Coat and belt ","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Burberry was founded in 1856 by former draper's apprentice Thomas Burberry and became known for producing outdoor clothing, for example equipping Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911, and Ernest Shackleton on his 1914 Antarctic expedition. In 1914, Burberry was commissioned by the War Office to adapt its officer's coat to suit the conditions of contemporary warfare, resulting in what became known as the 'trench coat'. After the war, the trench coat became popular with civilians of both sexes and is now considered a design classic, synonymous with the brand. Although Burberry offer a wide range of clothing it is the trench coat design which is remodelled each season. \n\nThe V&A has several pieces by Burberry in the collections including a man’s suit from 1904 (T.159&A-1969), 1920s ski wear (T.30:A-F-1978) and versions of the trench coat design from the 1970s, 1980s and 2000s. This 1970s tartan version of the Burberry trench coat subverts the traditional design in beige gabardine with the Burberry check lining and shows how the popularity of the brand among various subcultures was reflected in new design variations. In the 1960s, Burberry’s stylish outerwear was adopted by ‘Mods’ (short for ‘Modernists’) who defined themselves by their love for sleek sharp, tailored fashion and modern musical blend of American Soul, R&B, Jazz, Ska and energetic British rock. Concurrently, the Skinhead movement, with its working-class roots, also adopted Burberry pieces, particularly the check patterns which were seen as a mark of British identity and pride.\n\nThe former wearer of this coat, industrial designer Sir Kenneth Grange CBE RDI (1929-2024), was a key figure in post-war British design and is represented in the V&A’s collections by his archive in the AAD, works on paper and many domestic design items including an instant camera (CIRC.124-1965), a Kenwood mixer (CIRC.731-1968) and an electric razor (CIRC.132-1965). Grange’s work was the subject of an exhibition at the V&A Boilerhouse in 1983, and he was a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art for nearly 20 years. Grange was known for paired-back, user-centric designs. His remodelling of the InterCity 125 high speed train for British Rail (launched in 1976) with its aerodynamic shape is considered an icon of locomotive design. In 1972 he co-founded the interdisciplinary design consultancy Pentagram. \r\n\r\nIn the 1960s and 1970s Grange was a stylish and modern dresser buying from leading menswear retailers of the period including Just Men, Burberry and Mr Freedom.\r\n ","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Burberry","id":"A4935"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"},{"text":"","id":""},{"text":"cotton","id":"AAT14067"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"UpObjectStore","id":"THES393033"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"UpObjectStore","id":"THES393033"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Coat","id":"AAT46143"}],[{"text":"belt","id":"x39371"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1970s","earliest":"1970-01-01","latest":"1979-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir Kenneth Grange","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Man's belted coat, cheviot wool tweed, Buberry, London, 1970s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Grange, kenneth","id":"A6053"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.22:1-2026","T.22:2-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"22","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-24","recordCreationDate":"2019-08-27","availableToBook":false}}