It’s currently peak coat season, and celebrities are slipping into their best statement outerwear to keep warm. What has been a hit amongst the A-list trendsetters recently? Elegant draped coats and plushy shearlings have been spotted on stars like Kendall Jenner and Ayo Edebiri. But for those in the less-frigid settings, a more lightweight coat has been taking off: Meet the modernized trench coat.
At first glances these Rihanna and Hailey Bieber-approved coats may look like your average khaki trenches. But lean in a little closer to notice the details, and you’ll find a bevy of refreshing updates—be it the silhouette, the prints, or the fabrics—that give the trench coat a 2025-worthy feel. Leather trenches, whether in classic black or luxurious chocolate brown, have been one such way to make the wardrobe staple feel current. Rihanna paired hers with fitted snakeskin knee boots, while Anya Taylor-Joy wore a belted style with a chunky turtleneck sweater underneath. Gugu Mbatha-Raw also embraced a statement trench via a checkered Burberry version.
Photo: Backgrid
If a lightweight cotton or twill treatment is more your speed, celebrities such as Mikey Madison and Monica Barbaro—two awards season darlings this year—have embraced the classic khaki trench in new shapes. With details like extra-slouchy fits or asymmetrical lapels, their reworked coats have just enough visual interest to make them feel new and exciting—without ever going out of style.
But that’s the beauty of a trench, isn’t it? No matter if you go for a bold or subtle style, it will forever be a timeless hero piece that you can mix and matched. So, do like the stars and go for one that has some extra pizazz. As Nicki Minaj once said, “who wants to look simple when you could look stunning?”
Below, see more modern approaches to the trench coat.
