170 years of Burberry

Celebrities have checked in to mark the anniversary of an enduring and distinctly British fashion label

- By Hannah Britt

EXUDING effortless sophistication, Kate Moss gives the Burberry trench inimitable sex appeal, as the iconic brand celebrates 170 years as a style leader.

With its milestone birthday this year, the quintessentially British brand has unveiled The Trench, Portraits of an Icon a set of stunning black and white images by photographer Tim Walker, featuring 23 legends from film, music, sport and fashion, all wearing Burberry's trademark trench coat.

An accompanying film, showing interactions between models and crew, is set to a soundtrack by Blur.

Daniel Lee, Burberry's chief creative officer, says: "Think of it as a tribute to Burberry a symbol of British style and craftsmanship."

Founded in 1856 by 21-year-old draper's apprentice Thomas Burberry in Hampshire, his namesake breathable gabardine fabric engineered to resist the elements - was invented in 1879.

The waterproof material meant the mackintosh was able to protect against all weather conditions, transforming rainwear for ever.

Everyone from the military to models was eager to wear the amazing new fabric that transformed the mac from frumpy to fashionable functional but also elegant.

In the early 20th century, acclaimed British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton wore Burberry gabardine for three expeditions, including his 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in which the ship Endurance was lost in pack ice. All 28 members of the crew survived.