Few wardrobe items have such timeless status as the trench coat. In 2026, we continue to wear it in various interpretations, among which the undisputed leader is the cropped trench coat – a waist-length model with a somewhat boxy silhouette. From Burberry – the House that practically created the canonical trench coat – to modern brands like The Frankie Shop and Helsa Studio. This spring, a shortened version of the iconic coat is becoming a new fashion obsession.
Burberry. Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
The secret to the appeal of the short trench coat is in the play of proportions. As silhouettes gradually move away from hyper-volume maximalism to a more structured mid-rise cut, the cropped trench coat strikes the perfect balance: visually emphasizing the waist while maintaining the inherited sophistication of the classic model. It organically combines with the key pieces of the spring season – classic trousers, voluminous skirts and relaxed denim – and turns out to be even more versatile than the traditional long version.
Aknvas spring-summer 2026. Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images)
The Attico spring-summer 2026. Estrop/Getty Images
There’s a generational context to this trend. Like the return of the micromini and ballet flats, the cropped trench conveys youthful energy with a subtle nod to the aesthetics of the early 2000s while remaining rooted in classic design codes. The result is a hybrid of nostalgia and modernity that resonates equally with luxury and contemporary brands.
Maison Margiela spring-summer 2026. Peter White/Getty Images
Knwls spring-summer 2026. Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
This spring, the key elements of the trench coat are retained in most interpretations, but designers are actively experimenting with shape and materials. Some models end just below the bust line, creating an almost bolero effect with a distinct sculptural feel. Others retain traditional details, but in pointed, clearly defined proportions. Leather, technical cotton and glossy gabardine update the item, moving it away from its purely utilitarian origins.
Recent collections only confirm the scale of the trend. In the spring-summer 2025 couture collection from Viktor & Rolf, the trench coat acquired hyperbolic, almost architectural volumes. Aknvas in the spring-summer 2026 collection focused on an accentuated, exaggerated waistline. Meanwhile, The Attico and Maison Margiela in their spring-summer 2026 collections turned to deconstruction and rethinking of the classic codes of the trench coat.
Photo: @thefrankieshop
Photo: @thefrankieshop
Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images
Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images
Off the catwalk, the cropped trench coat has become a street style classic. Worn over long skirts, layered with layered shirt ensembles, or left unbuttoned with wide-leg jeans, it has the same visual impact as a statement jacket, but is much more practical in the transition seasons, from the first warm days of spring to the mild fall.
The Frankie Shop 
Max Mara 
Balenciaga 
JNBY
Based on materials from voguearabia.com