85 Years of the G9: Excerpts From Interviews with A Certain Ratio and Joseph Otoway

BY Natasha Bailey ON 26 February, 2025

For the 85th anniversary of the G9 Jacket, Baracuta interviewed a variety of figures to celebrate the history of the jacket and British fashion. Here are excerpts from two of the interviews with the iconic Manchester band A Certain Ratio, and influential chef Joseph Otoway. 

Are there any words that describe both your occupation and our G9 jacket?

“Let me think. Even though fashion and cooking are on separate spheres, I would say: creative, thought-provoking, and original.”

If the G9 Harrington Jacket was a recipe, what would it be? 

 “We have a lot of special local (and not only) dishes. But if I had to choose, I would definitely choose the cheddar tart that we make here, and it’s one of my favourites! It’s all about taking one thing and focusing on it. We take an English cheese that’s very well known which actually makes it a distinctive British dish, but we use it in lots of different ways just for one single purpose. Just like how people have always done with the G9 Harrington.” 

Manchester is where the original G9 Harrington was born. Can you tell us what Manchester represents for you?

“Manchester is definitely a lot of things, so it’s not easy to limit it to only a few concepts. Personally, I believe it is one of the most creative places, it’s a place where almost everything is about self-expression. So, it’s full of originality and innovation, always done with a great attitude and never boredom. One thing that’s for sure is you’ll always have a great time in Manchester.”

Dating all the way back to the late ‘70s, A Certain Ratio are one of the most influential Manchester bands of all time. As one of the first to work with Tony Wilson’s Factory Records, the post punk band set a template for generations of future musicians. Their musical style, which incorporated funk, disco, and Latin influences, is still as groundbreaking today as it was more than four decades ago.

How is Baracuta’s G9 related to the music industry or the music in Manchester?

“Through the Suede Heads, Skinheads, Mods, it was a fashion thing and fashion, and music are really closely entwined. I think the Mods were the people who made it fashionable and so modern music was associated with it. But if you went to classical music, I don't think you'd wear a Harrington jacket.”

Do you have a special memory of the first time you saw a G9 Harrington jacket, and do you perhaps recall who was wearing it?

“Yeah, it was Steve McQueen in the film The Thomas Crown Affair, in 1968. I was eight years old when it came out, and Steve McQueen had a pair of fold-up sunglasses, and I thought, I want some of those glasses.”

As a musician, do you feel there were any specific connections between the G9 Harrington and music?

 “I think the jacket is original, and music from Manchester's quite original. It's quite iconic, and I think Manchester's quite an iconic place, and the music from Manchester. In a way, it's quite eclectic, because you get so many different styles of music that have taken the style of the jacket on board over the years. And I think that makes the jacket fit in with the eclectic nature of music in Manchester, which I think is important, that diversity. The jacket has never just taken one route. It fits with loads of different styles of music.”

What do you think makes a design timeless?

 “I think it's the very simple lines and the fact that it can stand the test of time. For instance, we're now in 2023. When I first got into wearing the G9, it was the early 1970s, and it's exactly the same shape, the whole design of the jacket has stayed pretty much the same. But like I said, the thing that works with things that stay timeless is the people and things around it that are getting used.”

As the G9 is an iconic piece of British heritage, what does Britishness mean to you?

“We invented a lot of things. We're clever people, basically because of the weather. You know, you have to stay inside. When the weather's keeping you indoors, I think you come up with ingenious plots and ideas. I think the weather's got a lot to do with it.”