Let’s get real for a second: Almost everyone loves a trench coat. And even the people who usually don’t tend to love this Percival version, a lightweight, waterproof, mid-length number that remains one of menswear’s best answers to gloomy weather. These days, the trench coat’s appeal is pretty simple, especially given 2024’s already-well-established rep for meteorological unpredictability. So much so that the coat rack at GQ HQ is positively inundated with the silhouette year-round, and right now is no exception.
At $360, Percival’s Sherlock trench coat isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s an investment that keeps paying dividends. As you might expect, it’s damn-near weatherproof, offering a subtle but durable barrier between you and the elements. It’s a good deal, period—and thanks to the generous fellas at Percival, it just got even better. To celebrate 10 years of making handsome wares, the brand is offering 25% off sitewide, which means the Sherlock is 25% less than usual—a juicy bargain that feels perfectly primed to help you weather the storms ahead.
“The Sherlock came about from trying to create a perfect trans-seasonal offering,” Chris Gove, Percival’s co-founder, says. Where the traditional trench is rich with old-school flair, Percival’s take is defined by its simplicity. Cut with a fuss-free single-breasted silhouette, it boasts a straight line of buttons and a clean, mod-like shape.
Despite its sleek design, though, the Sherlock offers more than enough storage to haul your daily knickknacks, thanks to a huge internal pocket capable of storing a 13-inch MacBook—or, as Gove stresses, a few bottles of red depending on your priorities. The Sherlock might be named after the wily detective that brought Benedict Cumberbatch to your TV, but you don’t need masterful observational skills to spot that it’s a pretty slick piece of work.
When it comes to styling, we’d recommend leaning into the Sherlock’s smart-casual feel with rich earth tones and classic silhouettes. (A polished pair of brogues never hurts, either.) But if you’re feeling a bit more dandyish, surround it with patterned knit polos, wide-leg trousers, and flashes of retro-inspired jewelry. “I’ve been pairing the tan or watcher-check colorways with either cotton or toweling polo shirts for that sort of ‘Riviera, but make it London’ vibe,” Grove says.
The Sherlock is designed to be a short, mid-length trench coat. If it’s a longer trench that you’re after, we should note that the the brand’s Greyson Coat—built just the same as the Sherlock, just longer—is also on sale for a generous 25% off. Whether short or long, you’ve certainly got options, which makes buying one for yourself … elementary, my dear Watson.
This story was originally published on British GQ with the headline, “Percival’s ‘Sherlock’ trench coat: The Case of the Perfect Spring Layer”.
