As a traditionally English company there was only so long we could ignore the inevitability of British weather taking a wet turn this spring. In anticipation of the precipitation, for SS16 we turned our attention to one of the most iconic outerwear items in menswear – the raincoat.

Dating back to the 1820s, original Mackintosh jackets were driven by practicality, made out of a stiff rubberised textile and structured in a simple straight form – a shape that has now become synonymous with rainwear.

At Turnbull & Asser we wanted to rebirth this classic aesthetic but with so many variations available today, our interpretation had to be updated, stylish and quintessentially T&A. Head of design Dean Gomilsek-Cole felt passionate about inventing a coat that was a champion of both form and function:

‘I wanted to create something that was lightweight (so I wouldn’t overheat if I wore it on the tube), packable (so that I could throw it in my luggage for just-in-case scenarios) and most importantly unique, standing tall against the sea of beige and black offerings that already exist.’

Vowing to respect the tried-and-tested silhouette of traditional versions, our point of difference would lie in opting for an intriguing composition; it seemed logical to use T&A’s catalogue of beautiful, exclusive shirt textiles to our advantage. We worked with our Italian fabric mill to add a light waterproof technical coating to the back of one of our favourite cloths, a micro dogtooth motif in 100% linen, before bringing it back to our Northampton workshop for crafting. This radical new construction maintained the lightweight, breathable properties associated with linen but was also now sturdy and showerproof.

The result was the Flordon Mac. Its shape can be slipped on seamlessly over a suit but doesn’t hang loose when worn sans blazer either, while the dandy puppytooth pattern will ensure your ensemble stays doesn’t fall short in the drizzle.

It seems that singing in the rain isn’t such an unlikely thought after all.