CHRISTOPHELOIRON®

Mister Freedom® BARRACUDA Sub Jacket, Woolen Double-Weave, “LIBERTY” Edition, mfsc FW2024 “SUBMARINER” (JP)

Mister Freedom® BARRACUDA Sub Jacket, woolen double-weave cloth.
FW2024 mfsc SUBMARINER.
Made in Japan.

Our BARRACUDA is inspired by a vintage sportswear zip-up jacket from our archives, label unknown — maybe from “Sportclad” (JC Penney)? —, showing a classic 1930s “White Stag” ski-wear influence.
Unlined, clean taped seams inside, 1930s workwear/outdoors vibe, swing-back, rear cinch tabs, clever pocketing and streamlined design… perfect candidate for a Mister Freedom® makeover.

During R&D we modified the pointy collar to a rounded type (early naval vibe), adapted the fit, added a leather chin-strap, sourced an ideal shell fabric and period-plausible trims, …, and settled on calling it the BARRACUDA, a reference to a class of post-WW2 submarines.

The jacket is cut from a winter-weight 26 Oz. double-weave woolen material — blend of 90% wool and 10% nylon —, with a brushed soft hand. Not as hefty as our Hudson jacket 36 Oz. melton wool (the weight of vintage USN peacoats), but typical of period civvy outdoor garments and heavy CPO shirts, with good cold/wind resistant qualities. With its 90/10 yarn content blend, this fabric will develop an attractive heathered flecks patina over time, with normal wear and repeat exposure to the elements.

Matching the recent LOOKOUT Watch Cap twist, we also included a nod to an old US Navy tradition: non-regulation (but tolerated if kept concealed) customized crackerjacks with “liberty cuffs”, the naval heritage of tailor-made and personalized uniforms, briefly mentioned here, and at length here.
Concealed behind the cuffs of the BARRACUDA is a set of original MF® vintage-inspired rayon “Liberty cuffs.” These “Octopus vs. Mermaid” embroidered morale patches — initially designed for the 2016 Liberty CPO Shirt — were described by an irreverent writer at the time as:

“…featuring a groping octopus sporting a bachi (the French Navy cover with its famous red pompon) chasing an attractive mermaid in her birthday suit. Flash the Splash at your own discretion.
For the adventurous type, these cuff linings do have a purpose and can be used as concealed storage for an emergency sawbuck folded in four. While bar-hoping with the ship’s finest on exotic shores, and after noticing your wallet’s gone MIA at Suzy’s Red Dragon Den, this is a nice touch.”

For those paying attention to details as much as our Design Dept. is, the right and left cuffs are mirrored, with each mermaid sporting distinct hair/scales color combo, i.e. two different patches.

To add to practicality and complement the slash hand-warmer front pockets, we mounted two concealed chest pockets for minimal storage (smart phone & passport size), cut from a contrast all-cotton 10 Oz. pincheck material inspired by the lining of a pair of vintage 1920s USN broadfall Undress Blues trousers. Some may remember this classic fabric as that of our FW2010 “Off Duty” CPO Shirt. It is also utilized as collar/cuffs facing, nicely complimenting the brushed double-weave wool, in both color and texture.
The side cinch leather tabs are typical of short 1930s~40s waist-length jackets, a style designed at the time to be paired with higher-waisted trousers, highlighting one’s natural waistline.

: 1940’s USN sailor (MF® vintage photos archives ©2016 private collection)

: Early sketch for “Octopus vs. Mermaid” Liberty cuffs ©2016

: Lining from a pair of 1920s USN Broadfall Undress Blues ©2010

: MF® 2010 “Off-Duty” CPO

: Vintage inspiration for the MF® Barracuda ©2024

The MF® BARRACUDA Sub Jacket is a versatile zip-up garment with definite vintage DNA and a period silhouette, best paired with traditional jeans, chinos, and classic-cut trousers.

Designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:
PATTERN: Inspired by a vintage 1930s sportswear zip-up jacket with a workwear/outdoors vibe, reimagined.

FABRIC:
Shell: 26 Oz. double-weave woolen material — blend of 90% wool and 10% nylon —, a soft hand and warm cloth, milled in Japan.
Facing accents: 10 Oz. all-cotton pincheck fabric, 1920s-inspired, milled in Japan.

DETAILS:
* Fully unlined, with elegant 1930s-style clean taped inside seams, narrow cotton tape.
* Early nautical vibe rounded collar.
* Removable tea-core leather chin strap (don’t lose it at Suzy’s Red Dragon Den!)
* Gusseted shoulder back, action-swing style for ease of movement.
* Vintage style brass zipper, cotton tape.
* Waist cinch tabs on rear panel, tea-core leather.
* Slash hand-warmer hip pockets.
* Concealed double chest pockets, smartphone & passport size.
* Contrast pincheck fabric accents on cuff/collar facing and inside pockets.
* Adjustable cuffs.
* Concealed Liberty-style mfsc risqué “Octopus vs. Mermaid” cuffs, storage for a folded bill, to flash with retenue.
* Woven rayon Mister Freedom® “mfsc NAVAL CLOTHING TAILOR” neck label.
* Made in Japan.

SIZING:
The Mister Freedom® BARRACUDA Sub jacket comes ready to wear straight out of the box, no shrinking protocol required.
At 5’7 ~145 Lbs, I opted for a SMALL — my current usual size for mfsc coats/jackets — for a trim fit with enough room for a thick Mariner Sweater, or Medalist Sweatshirt.

CARE:
Professional dry-clean only.

Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024

Mister Freedom® LOOKOUT Watch Cap, Indigo-Dyed Cotton Ribbed Knit, “LIBERTY” Edition, mfsc FW2024 “SUBMARINER” (JP)

Mister Freedom® LOOKOUT Watch Cap, 100% cotton ribbed knit, indigo-dyed.
mfsc FW2024 SUBMARINER
Made in Japan

The LOOKOUT Watch Cap is a Mister Freedom® spin on the vintage 1940s US Navy “Enlisted Man’s Watch Cap” pattern, with the usual liberties we take with our military-inspired pieces.

First, we opted for 100% cotton yarn, as opposed to the worsted wool of the originals. The warmth properties of the cotton knit is obviously not comparable to that of wool, but this makes our cap a bit more all-season for us Californians. Then we went for indigo-dyed rather than the traditional navy blue color, for a beautiful patina overtime.

The construction is a combination of three continuous knit patterns: two distinct ribbed knit sections finished by a “purl knit” bottom band at the cuff. The hat features a six-dart 1×1 ribbed knit crown.
We revisited the silhouette for a rather shallow profile, staying clear of the “ski cap” vibe of contemporary beanies with pointy/high crowns, aiming for more of a vintage seaman style.

We’re not big on obnoxious outside branding in general, but our old school “MFSC Naval Clothing Tailor” woven rayon label is stitched to the visible side of the cuff, in all its glory! We’re proud of what we make at MF® — or what we don’t make, and where we make it — so, once in a while, we flash our little brand’s name. That label looks pretty cool when worn on the side or back of the head.

The “liberty” mermaid patch on the other side of the cuff is a nod to the salty tradition of liberty cuffs in the US Navy, a customized uniform detail we’ve often played with. That rayon patch is stitched on 3 sides, so feel free to slide a folded sawbuck in there as emergency fund, when you really need that hipster cappuccino but left your wallet at home, and the phone battery gave up on you after prolonged exposure to the vast wasteland of TikTok.
And when the dude standing in line behind you for his cup of joe enquires about the flag of Scotland on your lid, go salty and mention that those are actually is maritime signal flags: diagonal white cross on blue background is international naval code for Mike, the letter “M”. Red diamond on white background is Foxtrot, “F”. He’ll reply Tango Mike.

Anyways, “Lookouts to the bridge!” (sub lingo here) calls the conning tower CPO to the three bubbleheads (port/starboard/stern) on watch… “Dive, Dive, Dive!” into our FW2024 SUBMARINER story here, and check out the whole line-up here.

The Mister freedom® LOOKOUT Watch Cap design is reimagined in California, USA, and produced in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:
PATTERN: Inspired by vintage 1930s~40s US Navy watch caps, revisited.
FABRIC: 100% cotton ribbed knit, indigo-dyed.
DETAILS:
* Three continuous knit patterns, two ribbed knit sections finished by a “purl knit” bottom band.
* Traditional six-dart 1×1 ribbed knit crown.
* Shallow profile, designed for single wide fold/cuff.
* Woven mfsc rayon label exposed on cuff, backed with concealed old style USN mermaid “Liberty” patch.
* One size.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The Mister Freedom® LOOKOUT Watch Cap comes ready to wear, no shrinking protocol.
Due to the cotton knit stretch, this is a “one-size-fits-all” type cover.
Style it your way, new school or old school, cocked to the side, slung in the back of the skull, pulled over the ears with a narrower cuff…
CARE:
Hand wash when needed, lay flat to dry on (dark) towel.

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024

Mister Freedom® SKIVVY T-Shirt, all cotton tubular knit, new “DESERT SAND” color, Made in USA.

Mister Freedom® SKIVVY T-Shirt, all cotton tubular knit, new “Desert Sand” color!
Made in USA

We are introducing a new fantastic color for our very popular Skivvy T-Shirt!
Call it beige, natural white, cream, écru, … , we named it “Desert Sand” ’cause we’re fancy like that.

The color is similar to that of unbleached cotton yarn, and was inspired by the specific shade of an old vintage henley undershirt from our archives.

The “Desert Sand” now joins our growing Skivvy family of classic T-Shirts introduced in 2013: white, black, navy blue, jungle green, sage green, brown 436, along with an heather grey edition.
Same US Military-inspired “Quarter Sleeve Undershirt” cut, same old school flatlock seam construction, same vintage silhouette, and same all-American provenance.

Please refer to the original MF® blog posts for specificities of both Skivvy and Stanley T-shirts, specs/sizing/fit/care instructions. Find the skinny on Skivvy vs. Stanley here. It’s like a Coke® vs. Pepsi® decision, but better for you.

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024

Protected: Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane mfsc SS2025 LookBook Preview: “Hi-DESERT” Collection

Mister Freedom® CAMPUS “STUD” Jacket, Snap Fastener Edition, Veg-Tan Cowhide Leather, 2024. Made in USA.

Mister Freedom® CAMPUS “STUD” Jacket, Snap Fastener Edition, Veg-Tan Cowhide Leather.
Natural / Black Tea-core / “Bison” Tea-core.
Made in USA.

The following crackling announcement coming out of your old tube radio cabinet told no lies:

“If you have a penchant for the classics, the latest styles from Mister Freedom® will take your closet from Dullsville to Woahsville! The snappy dresser insists on the Mister Freedom® CAMPUS STUD!…”

Case in point, our latest drop, a subtle twist on the timeless 1930s-inspired MF® Campus Jacket refitted with easy-to-button vintage-style snap fasteners!
Trim wise, these original MF® branded brass snaps were introduced in 2020 with the western-wear style Maverick Jacket. They have since also been featured on the Roadeo Jacket, Sonny Puffer Vest, and Bronco Champ Type II. That’s how much we dig them.

From the early days — with patent origins in Germany dating back to the late 1800s — metal snap closures on garments and gear have been promoted as more practical, more reliable, and less maintenance than their sewn-on button predecessors. From utilitarian clothing providers to military outfitters to sportswear fashion brands, everyone took notice, and snaps are today ubiquitous.
These days, most First World Homo Sapiens know their way around Tik-Tok and Amazon more than they do around a needle and thread, so snap fasteners will definitely be a bonus. Although knowing how to sew a button back on is never a bad skill to have.

Some behind-the-scene manufacturing tidbits…
The idea about the front closure refit of our Campus Jacket came from how ridiculously fabulous (and vintage legit!) those brass snaps already looked on the veg-tan leather iterations of our Ranch Blouse. But the decision was mostly to address a production-related issue with the old Reece 101 keyhole machine needed to produce those classic buttonholes, machines known in the manufacturing world as temperamental work beasts usually intended and fine-tuned for woven material. Setting up the Reece 101 for button-fly blue jeans is one thing, for thick leather another.
In a nutshell, our leather jackets are produced in a local leather factory (in California, USA), and the buttonholes have to be out-sourced to a local denim factory (also in California, USA.) Lotsa logistics and QC involved there.

For the past few months, our on-going Campus Jacket production has been held back, garments all cut and sewn by the leather factory, but stuck at the buttonhole stage at the denim factory struggling to get its one machine properly adjusted for leather. And this is one stage you don’t want to mess up, as there is no second chance at making a proper keyhole buttonhole on a $1000 leather jacket. One round of lockstitch, one cut from the blade, one chance! Try that nine times on a single garment…

Today, the number of local Los Angeles technicians knowledgeable enough to even understand how a Reece 101 works is a single digit, a sad realization after this fine California city was — at its bygone clothing manufacturing heydays — a hub for sewing factories, cutting factories, sample-making ateliers, pattern makers, machinery experts, skilled operators, designers, etc… Off-shoring (discussed here), corporate greed and fast fashion unfortunately killed our thriving local garment industry, once as successful as the movie industry. In 2024, empty warehouses have replaced the bustling garment-producing factories, save for a few struggling survivors.

So, after a few cups of brain juice at MF® HQ, in good old “improvise, adapt, overcome” survival fashion, we decided to test on three unfinished CAMPUS prototypes, substituting sewn-on buttons with snap fasteners. It worked, both visually and practically!
For the new name, we simply ran out of puns and are calling this Campus Type II the CAMPUS “STUD” — stud fastener being another name for snap fastener —, having contemplated calling it the SNAPPY CAMPUS for a moment.
The brass snap fasteners blend in the 1930s “Cossack” jacket style remarkably well, subtly adding a mid-century twist, and contributing to the elegant vintage classic flair of a garment that never existed but could have, our design MO since 2006.

A run of the CAMPUS STUD is now available in our current grade of hefty (3-4 Oz.) veg-tan cowhide leather, in natural, black tea-core, and “Bison” tea-core.
The “Bison” option is a small limited run and a perfect choice if you fancy a brown leather jacket but find it challenging to commit to the patina journey of the natural model from pinkish-white-to-golden-brown. Introduced with the Ranch Blouse “Bison”, the leather will still age and develop an attractive patina with wear, but you just get a brown color head start!

The MF® CAMPUS STUD in veg-tan cowhide leather is designed and made in California by Mister Freedom®.

NOTE: Production of our OG sewn-on buttons Campus Jacket (in natural and black leather) will resume when we have the Reece 101 situation sorted out, ETA TBD.

SPECS:
PATTERN: An original pattern inspired by 1930’s sportswear ‘Cossack’ type unlined leather jackets.

LEATHER:
1) Natural vegetable-tanned full grain cow hide leather, milled and supple, about 3-4 Oz weight. Exclusively developed for MF®.
2) Black vegetable-tanned “Tea-Core” full grain cow hide leather, black topcoat with natural-color flesh side, milled and supple, about 3-4 Oz weight. Exclusively developed for MF®.
3) “Bison” vegetable-tanned “Tea-Core” full grain cow hide leather, russet brown topcoat with natural-color flesh side, milled and supple, about 3-4 Oz weight. Exclusively developed for MF®. (“Bison” is how the tannery refers to the specific brown color, this is not buffalo hide.)

NOTE: The Mister Freedom® CAMPUS STUD is made of genuine leather. We use full-grain, and not top-grain leather (aka corrected or buffed leather, sanded to level surface inconsistencies). No two hides are alike and each panel may feature variations in texture along with natural imperfections.

DETAILS:
* 1930’s sportswear jacket silhouette.
* Special stud fastener edition, original MF® branded brass snaps for front/cuffs closure.
* Fully unlined, clean seams inside & out.
* Natural and tea-core veg-tan leather guaranteed to develop an attractive ’vintage’ patina over time, with normal wear and routine conditioning.
* One piece back.
* Cotton corduroy collar and wrist cuff facing.
* Slash pockets with original arrowhead-shaped pocket stops.
* Side gussets with adjustable side straps (NOS metal slide buckles.)
* Underarm venting eyelets.
* Mister Freedom® ‘The Sportsman’ woven label behind the slash pocket, right front panel.
* Sturdy poly-cotton thread stitching.
* Made in California, USA.

SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Campus Jacket “STUD” edition does not require any type of pre-treatment or conditioning and is ready to wear as-is.
This garment is cut quite slim and we recommend referring to our sizing chart and comparing measurements with a similar style of jacket that fits you according to your own style/expectations.
The CAMPUS STUD features a classic old-school type cut with a shorter period silhouette that sits higher than most contemporary jackets, designed to compliment higher rise vintage-style trousers and jeans.
I consistently wear a size 38 in the Campus Jacket and — at 5’7 ~145 lbs lately — also opted for a size 38 in the STUD edition, with enough room for a thick corduroy shirt.
Please refer to product page measurements (click on “Size Chart”), and reach out to sales@misterfreedom.com for sizing advice if needed.

CARE:
Embrace the fact that the natural or “Tea-Core” leather is prone to get nicked and scratched, revealing the under-layer color, unavoidably showing signs of wear. Occasional conditioning when needed (according to actual frequency of wear and activities) will contribute to an attractive warm tone natural patina, and a healthy-looking leather.
For maintenance, we recommend Pecard Leather Dressing, following this method.
Do not use neatsfoot oil or leather conditioners specific to footwear.
Note: Due to the unlined nature of the CAMPUS STUD, some shedding of the leather ‘flesh’ side may occur temporarily and leave (brush-able) flecks visible on dark shirts. This light shedding will eventually subside with normal wear.