Baracuta

BARACUTA

BARACUTA is THE Original Harrington Jacket - it is much copied but BARACUTA is the definitive and authentic Mod Harrington Jacket. British brand, BARACUTA is famous for the classic BARACUTA G9 HARRINGTON JACKET, the BARACUTA G10 JACKET and the BARACUTA G4 JACKET. However, Baracuta also make a whole range of Retro Mod Menswear including Mod Shirts, Mod Polos, Retro Knitwear and Retro accessories. Baracuta has been a favourite of Mod, Rock, Indie and Cinematic Icons past and present, including Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Pete Doherty, Razorlight, Frank Sinatra and The Clash. 

Buy Baracuta Jackets from Atom Retro - see our full guide to Baracuta styles, fits and special edition Baracuta Jackets here! Or read on for more Baracuta History and info! 

BARACUTA - HISTORY

BARACUTA and the Original Mod G9 Harrington Jacket can be traced back to 1930's Manchester. The Miller Brothers, John and Isaac, set out with a plan to improve their range of BARACUTA raincoats (specifically intended as workwear at the time). Manchester is notorious for its excessive rainfall, so a lightweight rainproof working Jacket was high on the brothers agenda.

With the design including collar button fastening, elastic wristbands and button fasten pockets nearly finished, the Miller Brothers took their idea to Beaufort Castle, Scotland. In the presence of Lord Lovat (Head of the Fraser Clan) The Millers requested that they may be granted permission and licence to use the famous red Fraser tartan for their new jacket design. With the agreement in place the Miller Brother's began manufacturing the famous BARACUTA G9 JACKET, and also other Mod Jackets styles including the G10 and G4 Harrington Jackets.

Over the years the BARACUTA G9 built up a reputation and in the 1950's silver screen icons helped to boost the BARACUTA profile, famously worn by Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. By the Sixties the BARACUTA G9 was an essential and a must have for Mods. With its intricate attention to detail and refined style, the BARACUTA G9 was just the type of Jacket to appeal to the Sixties Mods. The G10 and G4 styles were also popular, although it would be the G9 that became the most famous and iconic Mod Harrington Jacket. It was also in the sixties that John Symons (owner of Sixties Mod Clothing store, The Ivy Shop) coined the Baracuta G9 as 'Harrington'. The name Harrington had previously been associated with the sixties US TV soap, Peyton Place. One of the shows characters 'Rodney Harrington', played by Ryan O'Neil, would often wear a BARACUTA G9 Jacket. The name caught on and has stuck ever since.

It wasn't only Sixties Mods who loved the BARACUTA style. In 1966 BARACUTA made specially tailored Raincoats for the England World Cup Football Team. The Seventies saw punks and Mod Revivalists adopt the Retro BARACUTA G9 Harrington as their Jacket of choice. The Clash played Times Square in 1981 wearing personalised BARACUTA G9 JACKETS, specially made by BARACUTA. With the advent of nineties Britpop, the BARACUTA G9 found a new home.... on the backs of countless Indie icons and 'New Mods'. With inspiration drawn from their Sixties predecessors, (Indie styling is often drawn and adapted from Sixties Mod fashion) the BARACUTA G9 once again remained firmly in the spotlight. It has remained there ever since.

Baracuta have emerged as one of England's prestiege brands with a reputation that has built up over decades and a reputation that will continue to grow. There is only one word in Harrigton Jackets, and that is BARACUTA. 

BARACUTA continue to make the Original and definintive G9 Harrington Jacket, but now the range comprises so much more too! Each season BARACUTA make new and varied styles of the G9, as well as G4 and G10 BARACUTAS and other Mens Jackets, Polos, Shirts and Knitwear. They also make an authentic 'Made In England' range, for Baracuta fans and collectors who are looking for that extra special, authentic BARACUTA Harrington Jacket.

In 2007 a range of limited editon BARACUTA Jackets were made to celebrate BARACUTA'S 70th Anniversary. The limited editions were in 3 designs - Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra - each one printed with a quote on the inner lining and boxed. They were strictly limited editions and are now very collectable. 

In 2010 BARACUTA remade their original Raincoat as made for the 1966 World Cup team, to celebrate the 2010 World Cup. The G23 Ramsey Raincoat is a faithful reproduction of the 1966 Alf Ramsey BARACUTA Raincoat. 

BARACUTA - JACKET STYLES: 

BARACUTA G9 JACKET

The classic and original BARACUTA JACKET. This is the Mod Jacket every Man should have in his wardrobe. Available in a wide range of colours and styles, this is the authentic BARACUTA Harrington - Zip fasten jacket with 2 button collar, which can be worn up or down, elasticated ribbed waist and cuffs,  2 button down pockets and usually with the instantly recognisable red Fraser Tartan lining. Most importantly the BARACUTA G9 Jacket has the trademark 5 pointed 'Umbrella' shaped vent detail to the reverse - only the authentic BARACUTA G9 Jacket can have this finish to the back. New styles, colours, fabrics and patterns in this fantastic Mod Jacket come out every season, with Atom Retro stocking one of the biggest ranges available anywhere! 

BARACUTA G10 JACKET

The sister style to the BARACUTA G9, the Mod BARACUTA G10 Jacket holds the same design specifications as the G9 Jacket except for the reverse of the Jacket which has a classic clean 'flat' finish and not the G9 vented reverse. The BARACUTA G10 Jacket is found today in the super stylish BARACUTA MOD HARRINGTON JACKET -  a high fashion, short and slim fitting Retro Harrington updated for today. The BARACUTA MOD HARRINGTON JACKET was recently featured in the film, Knight and Day, worn by Tom Cruise.

BARACUTA G4 JACKET

The G4, recently relaunched in the BARACUTA range features the same design as the G9 Jacket but the elasticated waist band is removed and replaced with an 'open' waist and buckles to either side instead to fit as desired. The BARACUTA G4 Jacket is a favourite of James Bond star, Daniel Craig. 

BARACUTA - JACKET FITS

BARACUTA ORIGINAL FIT 

As the name suggests, this is the original design of the Harrington Jacket, which is a blouson oversized fit with plenty of breathing room!

BARACUTA SLIM FIT 

This is the contemporary fit of the BARACUTA which comprises most of the current BARACUTA range. This fit is slimmer in the chest and arms than the Original Fit Jacket, giving a more modern and 'regular' fit jacket. 

BARACUTA VINTAGE FIT 

Also known as 'European Fit', this Jacket is a shorter and slimmer fit than the BARACUTA Slim Fit making it a super slim fit. Intended as a contemporary fashion fit, a lot of Baracuta seasonal styles are made in this fit. 

BARACUTA - WORN BY 

The list of famous BARACUTA wearers is endless! Most iconic and well known is Steve McQueen who wore the BARACUTA G9 on the cover of Life Magazine in 1963 and in the film 'The Thomas Crown Affair' in 1968. More BARACUTA fans include Elvis Presley (who wore the G9 Jacket in 'King Creole' in 1958), Frank Sinatra (who wore the G9 Jacket in 'Assult On A Queen' in 1966), Golfer Arnold Palmer, Christopher Reeve wore a Natural G9 as Superman in the 1980 film and in more recent years Liam Gallagher, Thierry Henry, Johnny Borrell, Pete Doherty, Franz Ferdinand, Martin Freeman, Daniel Craig, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon have all been seen sporting BARACUTA Jackets of all styles.

You can read more about BARACUTA on our Brands page here: Atom Retro Brands and Biographies.