Sew an iconic piece: the free hack of the Tigris coat into a trench coat

A look back at a wardrobe “classic”

Iconic, glamorous, classic, charismatic, and timeless... What's more iconic than a beautiful trench coat? And what's more unsettling than slipping a devilishly feminine outfit underneath, to be revealed when the time comes?!

Our Fauvae Botanica winter collection includes a beautiful coat sewing pattern, the Tigris model . I thought this pattern would be perfect to repurpose, and to give you even more sewing options, we are offering the pattern pieces in PDF format to transform your Tigris coat into a beautiful trench coat .

In a few words, a short history of the trench coat

The trench coat was originally an outerwear garment for gentlemen, and became popular when officers wore it during the First World War. The brands Burberry and Aquascutum had reworked their "overcoat" design, already very popular with gentlemen, to meet the needs of the military, and the image of the elegant officer contributed to the enthusiasm for the trench coat among civilians.

Following the Second World War, its iconic status was reinforced when Hollywood incorporated it into the wardrobes of stars like Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and Marlene Dietrich. The trench coat thus became a garment that women also adopted.

What is the new Tigris like?

The trench coat is a garment that features "signature" elements: a flap in the back, a pretty turn-down collar, shoulder tabs and a belt. The Tigris coat , with its long line, straight cut, large, slightly low patch pockets, shoulders embellished with tabs, a low back slit and its particular buttoning lends itself well to the exercise.

To complete the revisit, the free pattern extension includes the flap piece, the new collar and the belt with 2 loops . The flap is lined, the collar constructed with a drop and a collar stand, and the belt is positioned in the hollow of the waist. I really like wearing my trench coat open, with the belt tied in the back, it gives a little nonchalant je-ne-sais-quoi…

The iconic gabardine trench coat

It's imaginative, it's timeless, it's a must-have! The beige gabardine trench coat is an iconic piece that spans generations and trends.

Tigris' hack sewn in our Grège gabardine is very successful: the new collar from the free pattern extension will be as elegant worn folded down as it is pulled up close to the face, the flap has a pretty hold, the button tabs on the shoulder are embellished with our matching 18 mm Poppy Grège buttons , bringing a little softness to this sewing.

For the lining, I chose our khaki cupro lining fabric, which goes very well with gabardine and follows the codes of the trench coat.

A midnight-colored trench coat

To match this new model, I chose a fabric from the “L'Hiver Fauve” capsule , our sublime Italian navy blue and black tartan wool, 100% wool . Very elegant, sufficiently supple, it gives the Tigris trench coat a perfect look. To add a precious touch, I chose the light gold jewel buttons , and I placed a Flamboyant Heart pin by Christelle Dit Christensen on the lapel of its beautiful collar.

Sewing my new Tigris trench coat

The PDF supplement that we offer you will accompany your Tigris sewing pattern, it is essential to have the coat pattern to sew this new variation. And as with each new free sewing hack, a dedicated video awaits you on our site to detail the specific sewing steps of the trench version. We show you the preparation of the new pattern pieces and what will change in the assembly compared to the original pattern. The complete range of garment assembly will be found on the complete video tutorial of the Tigris coat .

And you, what will you hide under your Tigris trench coat?