Baracuta: Celebrities and Hollywood Films


Baracuta has been at the forefront of celebrity fashion and film for decades. But where did this global stardom come from? Baracuta was founded in 1937, but it wasn’t until the 1950’s that Baracuta’s founders, the Miller Brothers, opened an office in the USA. This expansion across the pond brought about major growth for the brand and was amplified after the Paul Stuart store in NYC jumped at the opportunity to stock Baracuta. It wasn’t long before high-profile celebrities started to wear Baracuta’s G9 Harrington Jacket, among them was Elvis Presley, the king of rock n’ roll who wore the jacket in the Hollywood film, “King Creole”. James Dean was also spotted on the cover of Life Magazine wearing a G9. This was just the beginning of Baracuta’s presence in the celebrity and film world.

After seeing these renowned stars sporting the G9 Jacket, people from all over strived to achieve that Baracuta look, just like the celebrities they looked up to. In 1964, Baracuta’s G9 played an important role alongside the actor Ryan O’Neal in the sitcom Peyton Place. O’Neal played the role of Rodney Harrington and wore the G9 Jacket in practically every episode which led to the jacket being called the Harrington Jacket. The first and only authentic Harrington Jacket! Peyton Place, being such an influential and popular show, also played a huge part in making the Baracuta brand and its jackets must-haves!

Even though Baracuta’s G9 Harrington Jacket was becoming a more and more sought-after piece, it could not be described as simply “a trending piece”. One has only to look at these jackets to know that they are timeless, they are a lifestyle and celebrities and professionals working in Hollywood films were well aware of this. 

Celebrities in the music industry started to pick up on the Baracuta buzz after the famous musician Eric Clapton appeared on the TV show “Reay Steady Go” with his well-known band, The Yardbirds, wearing a Baracuta jacket. This caused a ripple effect in the music world where various British subcultures started wearing Baracuta’s G9 and G4 jackets as part of their staple look. 

If you thought we were finished talking about the film industry and Baracuta’s association with it, think again! We are just warming up! Following Elvis Presley, celebrities like Frack Sinatra in the film “Assault on a Queen”, Steve McQueen in ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ and Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman 2’ all wore our iconic G9 Harrington Jacket. It’s safe to say that Baracuta made its mark on Hollywood as a result of these movies. For Baracuta, this was still only the beginning! Baracuta’s constant recognition by celebrities in every sector solidified its continuous presence and growth in the world, so much so that one of the most famous golfers in the history of the sport, Arnold Palmer, launched a limited-edition Golf Jacket collection in collaboration with Baracuta with only a few pieces up for grabs. What made the jackets even more desirable was the fact his very own signature was featured on the inside. They were well and truly collectors’ items.

In 2007, after seventy years in business, we wanted to celebrate how far Baracuta had come since its beginnings and also pay tribute to three world icons who were known to love and wear our G9 Harrington Jacket among other Baracuta styles. Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen and Frank Sinatra were the stars of our limited-edition collection – a collection of three jackets, one dedicated to each star with a personal quote printed on the inside. As we already mentioned, Baracuta’s relationship with the celebrity and film worlds began in its early years. This relationship continued through the years. After Baracuta’s 70th anniversary, there was an explosion of Hollywood movies where the main characters were seen sporting the G4 Jacket or G9 Harrington Jacket. Stars like Daniel Craig in the iconic Blockbuster film ‘Quantum of Solace’, Tom Cruise in ‘Knight and Day’, Jason Statham in ‘Killer Elite’, Tom Hardy in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, Bradly Cooper in ‘The Hangover Part II’, Damian Lewis in ‘Stolen’, Bryan Cranston in ‘Why Him?’, Mark Wahlberg in ‘All the Money in the World’, Jamie Foxx in ‘Sleepless’ and Leonardo Di Caprio in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’. This overwhelming celeb popularity completely set in stone an everlasting presence for Baracuta. Adding to this popularity was Nick Jonas, member of the band The Jonas Brothers, who keeps his trusty Baracuta G9 in his wardrobe and was spotted wearing it after the band’s hit single “Sucker” reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. 

It's safe to say that Baracuta is a hit with among celebrities and personalities in the film industry. However, Baracuta isn’t limited to any one specific consumer type. It is a brand that embraces everyone with open arms – people of all genders and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

 It goes without saying that Baracuta’s connection to the celebrity and film world has given an air of stardom to the brand and has had a massive and positive impact on our growth over the years. From Baracuta’s humble beginnings in a small factory in Manchester, England to its expansion into the USA, the brand has achieved worldwide success, has featured in countless Hollywood films and is adored by so many. Our global presence highlights the fact that our garments are of the utmost quality and are classic timeless pieces. Baracuta is a way of life. An iconic British brand and a dominant player worldwide. If it’s good enough for Elvis Presley and all the stars who followed, it’s good enough for anyone!