In the metro in winter, silhouettes often merge, engulfed in the same black coat. However, in London as in New York, something has changed this season: on the street, women are swapping this dark basic for more visual jackets, without sacrificing an ounce of chic. In paparazzi photos and on social networks, the classic coat takes on more color and character.
Why the women’s burgundy coat is dethroning black this winter
“Black is no longer the law”, and color is becoming the true style marker for winter 2025 2026 in the coat department. Burgundy is described as the color that “shakes up classicism”, while remaining very sophisticated. Amidst the pastels and multi-colored faux furs, one color reappears everywhere, from the catwalks to the racks of mainstream brands: the women’s burgundy coat. Neither garish nor austere, this deep red inspires British and American buyers who are looking for a softer alternative to black, without losing that dressy side that makes all the difference at the office or in the evening.
The query “women’s burgundy coat” appears more and more often on online sales sites. Product sheets bear this out, from a high-end fur house that describes its burgundy skin coats as sophisticated and bold, to an affordable brand like Calliope that highlights a long burgundy double-breasted coat for formal events and workwear. Even the technical down jackets offered in “rich burgundy” by American brands rely on this deep shade to combine warmth and allure. In all cases, the message remains the same: a burgundy coat structures the silhouette, brings relief to the face and stands out just enough when a black coat would blend into the crowd.
How to wear the burgundy coat to appear more elegant
This shift towards burgundy can be seen very clearly among Anglo-Saxon celebrities. In London, during a Burberry event, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley appeared in a total look from the British house, with a burgundy leather trench coat, mustard checkered pants, a button-down shirt and Burberry Check pumps. The coat, long and belted, elongates the silhouette and immediately gives a couture look to the whole, where a black trench would have seemed more expected.
Across the Atlantic, in New York, Reese Witherspoon was photographed in a burgundy tweed jacket paired with wide-leg pants. An outfit that takes up the codes of the office suit, while adding a touch of warm color that is very flattering on fair skin as well as on more golden complexions. “I would style this burgundy wool coat the same way I would style any black coat,” Who What Wear writes, recalling how easily this shade pairs with raw jeans, a midi dress, or a demure suit. For Londoners and New Yorkers alike, this wine red tone becomes the easiest way to look more elegant with a look they already wore with a black coat.
Adopt the women’s burgundy coat every day without making a mistake
The silhouettes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Reese Witherspoon can already be found in a more accessible version on the shelves. The shopping selections include burgundy synthetic leather trench coats at Asos to recreate the evening look, leather coats by Proenza Schouler, a ball hem model in vegan leather at Abercrombie or even Italian wool blend coats designed by Helsa, with cinched waist and defined shoulders for a very flattering line. Alongside these cutting-edge pieces, sports brands offer maxi down coats in “rich burgundy” colors, while others rely on the teddy or sheepskin-effect sherpa texture in this same shade, proof that burgundy is suitable for all registers, from cozy to very dressy.
Inspired by these Anglo-Saxon looks, fashionistas can transpose the burgundy coat into their daily lives very easily, by using the associations they already used with black. Some tracks spotted in the London and New York outfits:
- Office version: a burgundy wool coat cut straight or belted, over wide-legged pants and a light shirt, in the spirit of Reese Witherspoon.
- Evening version: a burgundy leather trench similar to that of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, worn with checkered pants or a little black dress, heels and a structured bag.
- Cozy version: a quilted or faux fur coat in burgundy, which echoes the desire for softness of the teddy and sherpa jackets seen at Promod or Desigual, but with a more sophisticated look than a pastel.
By playing on this deep red color rather than black, both British and American women are showing that sometimes all it takes is a change of coat to instantly raise the level of elegance of an ordinary winter outfit.
