Designers Get Into the Trenches for Spring

This week, department stores are filling up with the latest must-have: the short trench coat.

We’re not talking about utility wear. These are knee-grazing, colorful items with full skirts set off by snugly belted waists that have less to do with weather conditions than of-the-moment fashion. European designers, including Gianfranco Ferre for Christian Dior, Claude Montana and Martine Sitbon for Chloe, all show trench coats in their spring collections. As do such young-spirited New Yorkers as Isaac Mizrahi, Adrienne Vittadini and Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis.

Mizrahi’s coats are vibrant orange. Vittadini went in for a blue plaid version. Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis enlivened his belted trench with a marigold color tone.

The look works well with the Los Angeles climate, says Gail Sekiguchi, fashion director for Nordstrom Southern California. Customers at her store are picking up on the short trench as an accent piece for their wardrobes, primarily because it is an ideal topper for cool evenings and it is light enough to be worn as a jacket, or even as a dress, by day.

New York designer Donna Karan considers the DKNY short trench coat to be a fashion basic for spring, whether it’s raining or not.

“Donna considers it as basic as jeans for this season,” her spokeswoman, Patti Cohen, says. Cohen has definite ideas about how to wear the new fashion item.

“You can dress the short trench up or down. It looks good with pants or alone, belted over a full skirt, or unbelted over skinny pants or leggings. You can even wear them over bathing suits.” She also points out that the length is more flattering than ankle-length coats on shorter women.

Karan also added a short cotton poplin trench, shown cinched with a real alligator belt, to her pricier signature collection for summer.

Some believe the look will really take off after the summer season.

“I don’t know that it is as major a look for spring as it will be later, moving forward into fall,” says Sekiguchi, explaining that it takes time for a trend to catch on.