Whatever the material, or the designer, Edwards says the shape has overtones of mystique, eroticism and power. “It’s that age-old thing of leaving things to the imagination.”

In modern times, the trench has come to represent so many facets of how and why women wear what they wear. Edwards says the shorter styles of today have the benefit of being hugely adaptable.

“You can wear it to work but also over jeans. Those military references, especially for women, give a sense of power and control … it gives you quite a dominating shape. Maybe there’s an element of feeling protected when you’re wearing it as well.”

Speaking of feeling protected, it’s no wonder designers are embracing the trench as a symbol of our post-pandemic way of life. It’s super versatile, whether you’re throwing it over activewear on the way to pre-dawn Pilates, doing the school run, or for an impromptu walking meeting, one of the healthiest work-from-home trends of 2020.

“You can wear it to work but also over jeans. Those military references, especially for women, give a sense of power and control … it gives you quite a dominating shape.”

And sales of trenches, both new and vintage, are booming. According to resale website Vestiaire Collective, Burberry remains top dog, accounting for nearly one in every two trench coats sold through the platform in 2020. But new brands such as Totême, Rejina Pyo and Stand Studio are also starting to attract interest.

Luxury e-tailer Farfetch’s Celenie Seidel reports strong interest in “experimental” styles that ditch the traditional gaberdine for a “more seasonal, personality-led piece that has the potential to be more of a statement than a staple”.

The most exciting brands, says Seidel, are Nina Ricci, JW Anderson and Loewe. All play with the idea of the “volume trench”, while Bottega Veneta “has become a new go-to for a fresh interpretation of the traditional [shape]” .

Volume was also on the mind of Deborah Sams, creative director of Australian brand Bassike, when designing this season’s collection, which includes a twist on the classic trench with a longer, slouchier line. She describes it as the perfect catch-all coat. “It’s useful, it’s practical, it’s great for a climate like Australia … you can layer underneath it, you can wear it with a T-shirt.“

Even in cooler cities such as Melbourne, the trench – especially in a heavier fabric such as leather – makes the perfect layering piece, regardless of what the day brings. “You may be all dishevelled underneath but you can pop your trench on with trainers and look okay,” says Sams.

Other Australian brands showing great trenches this season include Bianca Spender’s collarless chequered style made from taffeta. It’s a contemporary take with plenty of nods to the past through the back flap and D-ring belt. Camilla and Marc, meanwhile, offers a more classic shape in seasonal petrol green or guava, as well as classic camel.

Designer Camilla Freeman-Topper has loved the trench since her days as a student in Florence, where she got her “education in classic tailoring, and I’m incredibly nostalgic and grateful for that time”.

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“A well-structured, classic trench coat is a timeless investment that can be thrown over almost any outfit,” she says. “The trench has been such a key garment for me, a go-to piece throughout changing seasons.”

This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale March 21. To read more from Sunday Life, visit The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.