History of the Duffle Coat
There’s a certain kind of coat that says more with silence than noise. With its soft tailoring, heritage toggles, and easy, generous shape, the duffle coat carries a quiet confidence. Worn by soldiers, students, and cinema icons alike, it’s a garment that doesn’t chase trends—it outlasts them.
A Coat with Character
Think: rugged yet refined. A coat made to face the cold with poise. With its wooden toggles and rope fastenings, the duffle coat is instantly recognisable—a design rooted in utility, but elevated by time and wear. Roomy enough to layer. Structured enough to smarten up denim or downplay tailoring. It walks that fine line beautifully.
From Duffel to Duffle
The coat’s name comes from the town of Duffel, just outside Antwerp in Belgium, where a coarse wool fabric—thick, tough, and weather-resistant—was first woven in the Middle Ages. Local makers, seeking warmth and simplicity, used natural rope and wooden toggles to close their coats. The earliest duffles weren’t yet fashion. They were necessity—sturdy, simple, functional.
Naval Roots, Timeless Fit
Fast forward to the 1850s. John Partridge, a British outerwear manufacturer, reimagined the duffle with inspiration from Eastern European military coats. By the 1880s, the Royal Navy had adopted the duffle coat for good reason: large hoods to fit over caps, toggle fastenings you could undo with gloved hands, and enough room to layer over thick knits at sea. The coat was standard issue through two world wars. Its appeal? Practicality with personality.
And it wasn’t just about function. The duffle coat became a great leveller. Every seaman wore the same silhouette—no ranks, just resilience. It gave the uniform a quiet humility.
The Monty Coat
You might’ve heard the nickname “Monty coat.” That’s down to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, who wore his duffle religiously through WWII. Tactical. Stoic. Always with his coat on. He embodied everything the duffle stood for—durability, clarity, calm under pressure. Post-war, the coat took on iconic status, not just as outerwear, but as a symbol of British endurance.
Field Marshal Montgomery wearing a duffle coat.
Into Civilian Hands
After the war, the duffle coat made its way from barracks to boutiques. In the 1950s, Gloverall—true custodians of the duffle—acquired surplus military stock and turned it into a fashion staple. When supplies ran dry, they crafted a civilian version: slightly more fitted, lighter in weight, and finished with refined touches like satin lining, and cotton cord. Still recognisable. Just sharper.
It didn’t take long for students, artists, and thinkers to make it their own. The duffle coat was practical, yes—but it also stood for something. For ideas. For a different pace of life.
Style with a Statement
By the '60s, the duffle coat had slipped into the wardrobes of the stylish and the subversive. Protesters wore it. Poets too. Trevor Howard donned one in The Third Man. Jack Hawkins in The Cruel Sea. David Bowie wore his in The Man Who Fell to Earth, all mystery and melancholy. And on the cover of Oasis’ 1995 single Roll With It, the duffle coat returns—cool, casual, and nonchalantly unbothered.
Oh, and of course—Paddington Bear. The blue duffle, the red hat. The kindest soul in London. A small bear with great taste.
The Oasis Single Cover for ‘Roll With It’.
A Classic That Keeps Evolving
Today, the duffle coat remains what it’s always been: adaptable, timeless, and true to itself. Whether you’re heading into the city, out to the coast, or anywhere in between, it’s the coat you reach for without overthinking. It works. It always has.