A 1991 Burberry single-raglan balmacaan coat, crafted in England.
A special acquisition.
Made in the United Kingdom.
A rare single-piece sleeve construction in wool blend.
Most Burberry coats feature either set-in or raglan sleeves—the conventional two-piece construction. Without precise sizing, these create an unnatural shoulder pitch, as though padded. The single-piece sleeve, by contrast, falls with a particular grace that has long been appreciated by those who understand tailoring.
The difference lies in construction: a traditional raglan requires seams at both the shoulder and underarm. A single-piece sleeve wraps the arm in one continuous panel, with only a single underarm seam. This subtle distinction carries profound consequences for silhouette. Because the fabric hangs vertically against gravity, a single-piece sleeve naturally achieves a more refined drop-shoulder line—the sort of proportion that cannot be forced or manufactured.
Worn oversized, such a coat remains contemporary and unforced—which is precisely why those who understand the difference search for them.
Single-piece sleeve Burberry coats remain extraordinarily scarce. Some estimate only one in a thousand examples survive this way—roughly one percent of production. Among these, those in wool blend are rarer still. This example stands apart: it was constructed in cashmere.
While many wool versions employ pure wool or alpaca, pure cashmere single-piece sleeves are genuinely uncommon. This one is pure cashmere throughout.
Cashmere is a protein fiber harvested from the Kashmir goat. Each animal yields only 100 to 200 grams of usable down per year—extraordinarily little. The fiber's characteristic lightness, suppleness, and warmth are unmistakable.
Its rarity and cost have earned it the designation of "fiber of jewels."
A coat constructed in such material requires no elaboration on its performance or comfort. The investment in cashmere speaks for itself.
The color is a solid navy—precisely the tone many search for without finding.
Its neutrality moves between casual and formal with equal ease.
The proportions run generous. Those of larger frame will find it accommodating.
And because it is single-piece sleeve, even generous proportions will retain the silhouette that distinguishes it.
There is visible wear—surface marks, some button loss—yet nothing that compromises wear. It remains a working coat.
When the season turns and coats matter, those who know begin their search for single-piece Burberry. They do not stay long.
A coat for a lifetime. If you have been looking, this is the one to consider.
