Aquascutum

Aquascutum started in London in 1851, when Mayfair tailor John Emary set up the business. Its name is Latin for "water shield", adopted in 1853 after Emary patented the first waterproof wool textile. The idea was rain protection that did not cost the garments their elegance. That fabric led to a long line of outerwear. The label dressed officers in the Crimean War and developed a trench coat for the British military in 1914. It received the Royal Warrant in 1897, and its Club Check pattern is the easiest way to spot it. Today it covers outerwear, knitwear and accessories, and a licensed Aquascutum Active line focuses on technical, city-ready clothing.