Duffel coat

The name derives from Duffel, a town in the province of Antwerp in Belgium where the manufacturing process of this kind of fabric, a coarse, thick, woolen cloth originated.

In countries freed by British troops from Nazi-German occupation, wearing the coat also meant a tribute to all soldiers that fought in the war and a statement to civilian freedom.

The basic British style features: The large toggles and long ropes from the army coats were designed to enable easily fastening and unfastening while wearing gloves in cold weather.

[7][8] Large post-war stocks of low-cost military surplus coats turned the duffel into a ubiquitous item of British civilian clothing in the 1950s and 1960s, especially among students.

[7][8] British Major Calloway played by Trevor Howard in the 1949 movie The Third Man wears a standard issue Army duffel coat throughout the film.

Designed by his creator Michael Bond, a blue duffel coat is one of the signature items in Paddington Bear’s wardrobe, alongside a hat that is often depicted as red.