The Miller family had been in the rainwear industry for many years before founding Baracuta. These years of experience with rainwear were invaluable later on.
The original factory supplied raincoats to brands such as Burberry, Aquascutum and Marks & Spencer. They were makers striving to do more and be more, so they began planning their future.
The Miller brothers founded Baracuta in 1937 in the heart of Manchester, known as one of the rainiest cities in the UK. Their aim was to create an outerwear brand that would provide stylish protection from the rainy British weather. They chose an exotic name because they knew their brand would eventually become known overseas. The wheels were set in motion after John and Isaac Miller spotted a gap in the market for a practical yet stylish golf jacket.
They regularly played at Manchester Golf Club, where they saw their fellow players struggling to move and stay comfortable in their coats and jackets during play, especially when it was raining. They put their thinking caps on and developed the iconic G9 jacket in 1937. The name is also well thought out, with "G" standing for golf and "9" for the 9 holes of the golf course.
However, the Miller brothers felt something was still missing, so they set out to find a key feature that would set their brand apart, a so-called signature touch.
They approached Lord Lovat - Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, the 25th Clan Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat in Scotland - and asked him if they could use his family's tartan for their brand. Long story short, he agreed, and in 1938, one of the most famous jackets in the world was finally made, the very first G9 Harrington jacket. They worked in a small clothing factory in Manchester, and it was the start of something very special.