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25 February 2024
The most iconic piece of clothing developed in relation to water is once again a must-have in fashion: Ecoalf presents raincoats in classic trench and car coat cuts made from recycled materials.
The design of the iconic raincoats in water-repellent materials dates back 200 years to the 1820s with the development of fabrics that were water-resistant (resisting water penetration to a certain degree) or even waterproof (suitable for heavy rain). The history of the trench coat begins with Burberry (developed the water-resistant fabric gabardine in the 1870s) and Aquascutum (from Latin - aqua for water and scutum for shield; company patented the first waterproof textile in the 1850s). During World War I, trench coats, primarily produced by Burberry and Aquascutum, were used as soldiers' outerwear for the muddy trenches - hence the name 'trench coat'. Later, the coat became an international fashion standard with prominent wearers in the movies such as Humphrey Bogart in 'Casablanca' or Catherine Deneuve wearing the black vinyl trench coat designed by Yves Saint Laurent for the film 'Belle de Jour'.
The trench coat has never gone out of style, but in early 2024 it is more visible in retail and online stores than in previous years. Perhaps it's the consumers' desire to buy clothes that will last for decades rather than changing their wardrobe too quickly, and/or the trend to walk in big cities and use public transportation instead of cars, that make these raincoats perceived as 'basics'. An alternative to the trench coat - especially for cyclists - is the beltless coat. This is also a classic and is often shorter than the trench coat. One of the companies that stands for sustainable use of recycled materials and fashion collections designed in a classic, timeless style and that has trench coats and car coats in its program for Spring/Summer 2024 is Ecoalf. Fashion.at received a press information this week showing water-repellent highlights from the current collection and selected two items from a range of coats and jackets for the upcoming rainy season.
Images, from left: The 'Ida' model in a classic car coat cut is made from 50% recycled polyester and 50% cotton. Right: The 'Errigala' trench coat is made from 100% recycled nylon. Photos: © Santiago Belizon / Ecoalf.
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