I am a duvet-coatholic, I admit. I own three down coats, and I love them all. They have swaddled me during bad times and good. As a style journalist, I’ve worn them to catwalk shows, where slim-fitting ultra light iterations, layered under peacoats, have seen me through snowstorms. I’m also rather fond of a short, marshmallowy model, which I frequently pull on over long, form-fitting skirts for winter dinners. Its silhouette brings drama – and gives me somewhere to take an impromptu micronap – while its comforting, laid-back vibe ensures I never feel overdressed.
Finally, there is my full-length duvet coat, a garment I practically melded with during that terrible, cold, dark Covid winter of socialising outside. It was only that duvet coat that could get me out of the house – a soothing, warming full body hug as well as an in-built social distancing tool. Unlike so many other survival mechanisms that winter (quarantini, anyone?), that duvet coat has not proved regrettable. It remains part of my life. Because there is no other coat that can insulate me – literally and emotionally – in quite the same way. The down jacket has become a modern fashion classic for a reason.
