The Baracuta Harrington: Guide to Baracuta Harringtons, Jackets & Coats
The Baracuta G9: The first and the best mod Harrington jacket. Here's our guide to buying the Baracuta jacket: find your perfect fit and size, what are the differences between the G9, G4 and G10 styles, Baracuta's origins and history, and the seasonal highlights from the Baracuta jackets and coats collection.
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The Baracuta G9 & G4
The Baracuta G9 Original Harrington Jacket - much copied, but never bettered, and now better than ever.
With improved fabrics, fits and styles, you've never owned a better Harrington Jacket. The Baracuta G9 was the first Mod Harrington Jacket. Designed and made in Manchester, England in 1937, it was first utilised as a work wear jacket - a short rain jacket with an elasticated waist and cuff and button up collar. During the 1960s and 70s it was adopted as the jacket of choice for Mods and Scooter boys, and it's never lost it's place in the Mod wardrobe.
The Baracuta is the best, premium quality Harrington Jacket available, with all Baracuta G9 jackets being still made in England. The Baracuta G9 Original is made with premium quality, water repellent poly/cotton outer fabric and Coolmax cotton/poly lining in the iconic red Fraser Tartan, exclusive to Baracuta jackets. Zip fasten, with classic double button collar, 2 flap pockets and unique 'Umbrella' pointed vented reverse. Baracuta is the first and last word in Harrington Jackets.
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The Baracuta G9 Jacket
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Brother to the classic Baracuta G9 Jacket, is the Baracuta G4 jacket. An adaptation of the G9 Jacket, originally designed for golfing, this Retro sports jacket shares some of the classic G9 specs - the 2 button Harrington collar, the iconic red Fraster Tartan Lining and the 'Umberella' point reverse vent, but differs with an open welt waist with buckles at either side to cinch in for fit if required, and also open welt, button fasten cuff to match.
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The Baracuta G4 Jacket
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Made in The UK
Baracuta Jackets were first made in Manchester, England in 1937. Today all Baracuta G9 and G4 original jackets are still made in Manchester factories, using traditional techniques and expert craftmanship. Watch the making of the original Harrington Jacket above, still produced in the UK. In the 1930s, Manchester - England's 'Rainy City' - became the worlds rainwear capital. The G9 and G4 are crafted from premium fabrics, chosen specifically for their water repellant properties on the outer and the breathablity in the lining, and made with the same special attention to detail since 1937.
All Baracuta Original G9 and G4 poly-cotton jackets are made in the UK. Other seasonal highlight styles like suede and leather G9's and other designs may be made in Italy or other locations, but still from the best premium fabrics and with the same level of detail and expertise.
Find Your Baracuta Size:
Quite often we're asked how do I find my size in a Baracuta Harrington? Firstly you need to chose whether you want the G9 jacket or the G4. The main difference between these jackets are the style of waist and cuff. The waist and cuff on the G9 has the traditional Harrington style elasticated and ribbed band, where as the G4 jacket has an open waist and button cuff instead. The G9 jacket was originally designed as a short rainwear jacket and the elasticated waist and cuff was to keep the wearer drier when caught in the rain. The G4 jacket was designed as a recreational, sports jacket, a golfing jacket, so the waist and cuff was left open for more movability. The G9 is the classic Mod Harrington jacket and the style which became synonymous with mod style.
Next, what size will you need in your Baracuta? Baracuta Jacket are sized in chest sizes in inches and the Baracuta G9 Original and Baracuta G4 Original jackets are a slim, trim fit. The G4, due to it's open welt waist is slightly a more forgiving fit than the G9 jacket. If you're unsure about your chest size, we recommend you measure yourself before buying. If you're in between sizes, you want to wear thicker layers under your jacket, or you want a more roomy, easy fit we recommend you size up in the Baracuta G9 and G4 Jacket.
If you purchased an old style Baracuta Jacket (before 2013, and confusingly called the Baracuta Slim Fit) then the new and current Baracuta G9 Original is slimmer than these old style jackets and the fit is not the same.
If you have any questions regarding sizing and fit, please don't hesitate to contact us for help.
Now all that's left is to pick your colour! (Actually, we can help with that too! See below!)
Sizing, provided by Baracuta:
Baracuta Size Conversion, provided by Baracuta:
Baracuta Womens Jacket Size Conversion, provided by Baracuta:
Season Highlights:
The Baracuta collection for Spring/Summer 2023 sees more seaonal colours in both G9 and G4 jackets. Joining the core colour ways of black, tan, natural, mist and dark navy in G9 are summer colours Tangerine orange, Dark Turquoise, Fiery Red and Flamingo. The Flamingo G9 jacket is captured in the above caricature by artist Dick Carroll. G4 seasonal colours include Dark Turquoise, bringing some brightness to a classic colour palette in black, mist and dark navy.
Highlight designs include the Nylon Coach Jacket, a great for summer lightweight jacket with the signature Baracuta tartan lining, a Yellow Madras Check Archive Fit Harrington, Suede G9 in Chocolate brown, and Suede Jacket Overshirt in Sand Stone. Joining the outerwear collection also is a limited edition 60s style stripe knitted cotton polo in a classic white and navy colour way (a summer staple!) and mod Cricket Jumper style cable knit tank top in off white (cream).
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The Baracuta Suede G9
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Baracuta's History: The Original Harrington Jacket.
"The next evening it was a warm, pattering, incessant rain – just rain to waken up the flowers. But in Manchester, where alas! there are no flowers, the rain had only a disheartening and gloomy effect; the streets were wet and dirty, the drippings from the houses were wet and dirty, and the people were wet and dirty."
- 'Mary Barton' by Elizabeth Gaskell
If there is one thing which is constant in Manchester, England - it's the rain. In a city where it rains more often than it doesn't, Rainwear was big business in the 1930s. Brothers, John and Isaac Miller ran the Baracuta factory, making rainwear for brands such as Burberry and Aquascutum. When they branched out into their own brand, Baracuta soon became synonymous with the world's finest raincoats.
By 1937, the Miller Brothers were looking for a new, functional design for a working man, and one which would also keep them dry in the rain. They came up with what would eventually become the Baracuta G9. This shorter jacket meant the wearer would have the benefit of a shower resistant coat while he was still able to move around, unhampered by a longer raincoat or mac. With the design including collar button fastening, elastic waistband and cuffs and button fasten pockets nearly finished, the Miller Brothers took their idea to Beaufort Castle, Scotland. In the presence of Lord Lovat, the head of the Fraser Clan, the Miller brothers requested that they be granted permission and licence to use the famous red Fraser tartan in the lining for the new Baracuta Jacket. With the agreement in place, the Miller Brother's began manufacturing the Baracuta Jacket in the classic G9 style, as well as other variations including the G4 and G10 Harrington Jackets.
Over the years the Baracuta G9 built up a reputation. In the 1950's Baracuta G9 Jackets were being exported to the US as 'Sports Coats' for the early Mods looking for that Ivy League look. In 1958 Elvis Presley wore the Baracuta G9 in the flim, 'King Creole' propelling the jacket to the forefront of fashion. Other fifties and sixties icons picked the Baracuta G9 as thier jacket of choice - Frank Sinatra, Arnold Palmer, Gregory Peck, and perhaps most famously, The King of Cool - Steve McQueen, who made the Natural coloured Baracuta G9 an integral part of his 'look'.
By the 1960's the G9 jacket was a must have for the Mods. With its intricate attention to detail and refined style, the Baracuta G9 was just the type of jacket to appeal to the Mod movement. It was also in the sixties that John Simons (owner of sixties mod clothing store, 'The Ivy Shop') coined the name 'Harrington' for the Baracuta Jacket, after US TV soap, 'Peyton Place'. One of the shows characters, 'Rodney Harrington', played by Ryan O'Neil, would often wear the Baracuta G9 jacket. The name caught on and has stuck ever since.
It wasn't only Mods who loved the Baracuta G9 Jacket. The Seventies saw punks and Mod revivalists adopt the Baracuta Harrington as their jacket of choice. The Clash played Times Square in 1981 wearing personalised Baracuta G9's (specially made by Baracuta). With the advent of nineties Britpop and Indie, the Baracuta G9 found a new home.... on the backs of countless indie icons. With inspiration drawn from their sixties predecessors, the Baracuta G9 was once again firmly in the spotlight. The list of stars to highlight the Baracuta as a must have item of indie clothing includes Johnny Borrell (Razorlight), Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Liam Gallagher, Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), Pete Doherty, Tom Cruise, Daniel Craig, Thierry Henry and many more.
In 2013 the Baracuta was relaunched as a premium Jacket - designed for the Mod connoisseur, for whom only the best will do! New brand owners, WP Lavori have improved the fit of the jacket, making it a slimmer and more fitted flattering shape, and put the Baracuta G9 in to new and improved fabrics. This is an exciting time for the Baracuta range, which is set to grow and expand with new, premium styles. The Baracuta G9 Original retains all it's iconic design aspects - not least the famous Fraser Tartan and 5-point 'Umbrella' reverse vent, while the new G9 Garment Dyed offers a slightly different slant on the classic G9, with Sixties Mod influenced Union Jack pop to the collar, sewn down 5-point reverse and new tonal tartan linings.
View all of the Baracuta Collection here.
Baracuta FAQ.
Is Baracuta the first Harrington Jacket?
Yes, Baracuta, owned then by the Miller Brothers, designed and perfected the Baracuta G9 - the first Harrington jacket in Manchester, England in 1937.
Why is it called a Harrington Jacket?
The name was coined for a character in American TV soap, Payton Place in the 1960s. The character played by Ryan O'Neal was called Rodney Harrington and always wore a Baracuta G9 style jacket. The official name for the jacket is a Baracuta G9.
Why is Steve McQueen famous for Baracuta jackets?
It's just a style that he liked and often wore himself and sometimes in movies, most famously The Thomas Crown Affair in 1968. The King of Cool, Steve McQueen was often pictured in a Baracuta G9 wearing colours like Natural and Stone (now called 'Mist').
Who else is famous for wearing the Baracuta G9?
Elvis Presley popularised the Harrington Jacket in America in 1958 when he wore a Baracuta G9 in the movie Kid Creole. Other iconic wearers include Frank Sinatra, Liam Gallagher, The Clash and many more.
Why do Mods love Baracuta G9 jackets?
The Harrington jacket was adopted as part of the mod look by mods and scooter boys in the 1960s and 70s. They liked the clean, sharp and smart look of the jacket and also it's functionality as being shorter, it didn't get in the way, the elasticated waist and cuff kept it fitted to the body and it wouldn't blow in the wind when riding a scooter, and its rain resistant design made it perfect for scooter ride outs in typical British weather!
What is the connection between Baracuta and the England football team? 
Baracuta designed and made raincoats for the winning 1996 World Cup squad. The jacket was a longer coat with all the iconic Baracuta details. The 'Ramsey' as it's often called is reissued occasionally as a limited edition.
What's the difference between the G9 and G4?
Simply, the waist and cuffs are different. The G9 has an elasticated waist and cuff where as the G4 is an open waist and button cuff. See above for more info.
What is the lining in a Baracuta Jacket?
The lining in the classic Baracuta G9 and G4 styles is always the red Fraser tartan, made in breathable Coolmax fabric. Only Baracuta Harringtons are allowed to use this pattern tartan. Others can only copy!
What is the 'Umbrella' Vent?
The famous 'Umbrella' Vent is the finish to the back of the Baracuta G9 and G4 jacket, like a raincoat style, designed to allow the rain to run off the wearer. The 5 point 'Umbrella' vent is a trademark of the Baracuta jacket.
What are the classic colours in the Baracuta G9?
The classic core colours in the G9 are always black, navy and natural. Added to this are faded black, tan and stone, which are usually always in the range. Mods also like dark red or racing green for their mod credentials, these colours are typically seasonal. Each season new, limited edition seasonal colours are also released in the latest trends and fashions - see above for this seasons highlights.
What is a Baracuta G10?
The G10 moniker has been used for several different Baracuta styles over the years, but currently the Baracuta G10 is the Baracuta raincoat - a longer length coat with button pockets, fold down collar, button fasten and sometimes with a detachable quilted lining for extra warmth.
Are all Baracuta Jackets made in England?
All the classic G9 and G4 original jackets in the poly-cotton outer are made in England. The Suede and Leather G9 jackets are usually made in Italy. Some of the other seasonal jackets may be made in other coutries. Check the items description for more info or contact us for more info.
How do you pronounce Baracuta?
Simply as it looks - Barra-coo-ta.
Where can I buy Baracuta jackets?
Right here.
