TARTAN

Fraser tartan: Tartan up your life

Fraser Tartan has been lining Baracuta jackets since 1938. However, the history of Tartan spans centuries and continents and some Tartan cloth has been found in different parts of the world dating to circa 3000 BC. The pattern has been a prominent cultural design in Scotland going all the way back to the 3rd or 4th century. It is said that in order to create the various tartan patterns, locals used berries and roots to colour the threads which were then weaved together to produce its distinctive design. Tartan became a symbol of cultural belonging and in the early 19th century the different tartans represented connections to clans. Tartan was a symbol of Scotland, and the Scots felt the pattern helped in preserving their heritage. In 1815, The Highland Society of London wrote to the clan chiefs asking them to send samples of their clan tartans in order to keep a record of this cultural identifier. 

One of these clan chiefs was the ancestor of Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, the 25th Clan Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat who had a huge impact on the future of Baracuta. His clan tartan is called Fraser Tartan, a pattern the Miller Brothers were very interested in for their brand.

In 1937, Isaac and John Miller created the iconic G9 Jacket, inspired by their fellow golfers who clearly had problems with their game due to the jackets they wore. The G9 was designed to protect against wet and windy weather and for those who needed extra movement space. The brothers also included innovative features in the jacket, like the slanted front pockets - ideal for two golf balls - and the umbrella back yoke with a built-in vent for breathability and to conduct water away from the wearer. After finalising the jacket design, the brothers felt there was still something missing, a signature look. This is where Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, the 25th Clan Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat comes into play. The brothers made their way to Scotland to meet with him and to ask his permission for the use of his family Fraser Tartan in their garments. To cut to the chase, he accepted and bequeathed the Fraser Tartan to Baracuta in 1938. The Fraser Clan has strong connections with Inverness and has survived many wars of Scottish independence and clan feuds. Fraser Tartan has been through thick and thin, coming out on the other side every time, so the Miller Brothers knew it would perfectly embody the Baracuta brand for its durable and strong garments.

To this day Tartan continues to be a huge part of Scottish heritage and Fraser Tartan continues to line the inside of Baracuta’s pieces like the G9, G4 and G12 Jackets to name but a few. From day one, the Fraser Tartan used in our garments has never changed - its colour and pattern remained the same. For Baracuta, this is very important because a Tartan design cannot be changed as they are all registered and also because we pride ourselves on remembering our heritage and that of the UK.