Plate No. 032 · fabric

Gabardine

Gabardine is a steep, tightly set warp-faced twill developed by Thomas Burberry in 1879: the yarn is waterproofed before weaving, and the dense diagonal sheds rain while the cloth stays far lighter and more breathable than the rubberized mackintoshes it replaced. It clothed Edwardian explorers and the trench coats of the First World War, and in finer wool it became a standard for tailored trousers and suits. The hard, smooth twill surface is why gabardine takes a crease beautifully and shines with wear.