Many beloved British heritage brands have undergone revivals in recent years. There was Burberry, which went from grandma-in-the-highlands trench coats, to chequered chav, which now, under the direction of Christopher Bailey, is one of the most successful, edgy, iconic British brands.
Then there have been the turnarounds of Mulberry and Aquascutum. DAKS is another label dusting off its fusty double-breasted mothball trench coat image by injecting a bit of modernity and young blood. The label showed off this new approach at its 120th anniversary celebrations in Hong Kong this month.
"My idea is to take a cue from all those stylistic details in traditional English tailoring. I'm trying to propose them in conjunction with new volumes, shapes, fabrics and trendy colours to meet contemporary needs," says Filippo Scuffi, the brand's creative director.
Conservative classics are what DAKS does best: double-breasted wool suits, military inspired waterproof trench coats, and sensible trousers and skirts. The label still makes these, and elegantly so, but now there's also a hint of that covetable Brit cool, too.
Founded in 1894, DAKS became known for its ready-to-wear tailoring and rose to popularity with its adjustable waistband trousers. Since then, the brand has gone on to become one of several quintessential English heritage brands, earning three Royal warrants.