Baracuta Celebrates the Original Harrington Jacket Loved by Manchester Subcultures in 85th Anniversary Book
Discover how the brand’s G9 silhouette became a hallmark of identity in the U.K city.
It’s not often that clothing items see through decades of adoption, adaptation and eclectic styling. The Baracuta G9 Harrington Jacket, however, is one of very few pieces that have stood the test of time in fashion history, becoming equally synonymous with those who have worn the piece, than that of the brand itself.
The idea for the jacket came to life in 1937 when Baracuta was founded, but it wasn’t until a year later – when the Fraser Tartan was added – that it was officially launched on the market. Now, as the jacket celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, Baracuta honors the life of the garment in a new 200-page book featuring snapshots, illustrations and personal accounts from the brand’s closest affiliations. Opening with the story of its invention, moving onto the seamstresses who produced them and later spotlighting its biggest subcultural moments, the documentation outlines how the U.K. city of Manchester has single-handedly cultivated a unique legacy for the G9 Harrington Jacket.
Hot on the North England fashion scene, Ladi Kazeem features in the book carrying stacks of garments from his vintage resale store Vault MCR. Observing the trends in the city, Kazeem has become an expert on garments that recirculate back into style and recounts his first time seeing the piece. “When I was growing up, there was a certain type of person who wore the G9 in the area I’m from – which is very working class and very Northern – and you’d see them on scooters going to the valleys,” he says. “I used to associate the jacket with mods and rockers culture, but now I see people wearing G9s who come from different backgrounds and have different styles.”
Baracuta
Baracuta
Baracuta
Baracuta
Not only touching on fashion heavyweights, the book looks to the creatives across Manchester who have lived simultaneously with the jacket through their associated subcultures. Best known for his recognizable work at the Haçienda nightclub in the ‘80s, furniture designer Ben Kelly finds similarities between the jacket and the designs he established in the era. “We used robust materials because a lot of people were going to be using the interiors. So it’s building up a language of materials, which, in a sense, the jacket has done,” he explains. “There’s a very simple language of materials with the lining and the outer fabric. It’s simplicity as well as not pandering to the fashion of the moment.”
Looking back at his connection with the G9 Harrington Jacket, and more specifically the styling of it, online presenter Matty White shares how one film stuck with him through his own journey with dressing, “There was a film released in the 1970s called Quadrophenia. It was about the mod scene in Britain and how they were concerned about the way they looked. Everything had to be right. Straight cut trousers, little two button jackets, matching suits, but their jackets were also important to them. If you watch that film you can see a lot of them are wearing G9s.” Once White had his own disposable income, he mentions, “I got my first original G9 Harrington. All of a sudden I’ve got a connection to the mods. I’ve got a connection to Damon Albarn. I feel like I’m cool. That’s the power of the G9.”
Take a closer look inside the book in the galleries above. To get your copy of Baracuta’s G9 Anniversary book, head to the brand’s website now.
