A naturally sun-bleached MF® Aristocrat, Kuroki double indigo twill ©2024
Mister Freedom® “ARISTOCRAT” Shirt, NOS Stripe Albini Linen & NOS Kuroki Double Indigo Twill.
SS2023 & FW2024 mfsc Sportsman catalog
Made in USA
The Mister Freedom® ARISTOCRAT is our humble attempt at a straight-up menswear dress shirt, stylish yet unpretentious, classic yet original, with our commitment to continue producing it in USA. It has made recurring appearances in the MF® Sportsman catalog in a variety of internationally-sourced fancy fabrics.
Initially introduced in a Japan-milled selvedge Oxford cloth (Sportsman Fall 2020), it was followed by a EU NOS dobby stripe version (Sportsman Fall 2021), an Italian NOS Albini stripe linen edition (Sportsman SS2023), and now available in a Japanese NOS Kuroki double indigo twill (Sportsman Fall 2023.)
The original design of the ARISTOCRAT was inspired by several vintage American and European classic dress shirts and sportswear shirts from our archives.
Our intent was to merge traditional shirting details, revisit old patterns, and simply create an elegant, versatile garment, a modern classic with subtle vintage references.
The connoisseur will notice the nod to gents’ outfitters Turnbull & Asser – and other bespoke shirtmakers – in our choice of “Regent” spread collar shape — dig that subtle curve —although we opted for an unstructured collar construction (no fusing) for a more casual vibe.
We really wanted the single chest pocket design to be 100% MF®, and serve as outside branding, rather than an embroidered logo. Our R&D team got extra cups of brain juice to reinvent the wheel, one that would spin our own yarn, and got to work. Sketches were drawn, prototypes made from scratch, and a eureka moment came sometime in February 2020 when a re-imagined classic pocket finally surfaced from the drafting table: a simple diamond shape with an elegant curved fold and streamlined single-needle stitching.
The specific off-set shirt tail cut, front button placket construction, and double button rounded cuffs, were also thoroughly considered and tweaked until it all worked out for our aesthetics.
The shirred rear panel with its rounded piecing patch is a detail borrowed from early European shirting, and, along with the classic side gussets, add to the refined and subtle vintage appeal of the ARISTOCRAT.
For the silhouette, we opted for a trim fit, adjusting body pattern and side curves to convey broad shoulders and slim waist, balancing with a traditional shirt tail length.
Construction-wise, the US factory did a remarkable job with the stitch count, closely following tech pack for the magic high number, matched by a fine thread gauge. Because of obvious productivity issues, it is often a challenge to convince factory owners of committing to higher-count stitching settings. This can almost double production time (= double production cost), but the results are stunning and always make a garment stand-out next to a more hastily-constructed one. Anyone able to spot a cheap suit will notice the difference.
So, tip of the hat to the family-run local Los Angeles factory that keeps producing our ARISTOCRAT.
The ARISTOCRAT is complimented by genuine mother of pearl buttons, another reference to traditional European bespoke tailoring, while the chainstitch construction (using MF® signature green contrast stitching) brings it down a few notches with a workwear touch (bespoke shirts often feature French seams, not chainstitch.)
The discreet red bartack on the side gusset is a nod to the red stitched “H” of the iconic Hathaway brand, one of the last American shirtmaker to produce shirts in the USA, until they gave up on that endeavor around 2002…
Photos above are a visual round-up of our current ARISTOCRAT family, featuring the latest additions: New Old Stock Albini stripe linen edition (an Italian mill producing fine fabrics since 1876), and its Japan-milled Kuroki double indigo twill sibling. The latter is also photographed next to a “sunshine” prototype that has been sitting in the California sun for a few months as an experiment. The indigo twill fabric developed an amazing chemical-free patina.
All in all, our ARISTOCRAT is a reimagined vintage-style classic dress shirt, versatile, casual, easy go-to garment. Dress it up with a suit or down with a pair of blue jeans, wear it with a tie or open collar, tucked or untucked, all it asks is to not be left out in the closet!
The MF® ARISTOCRAT Shirt is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage American and European dress shirts and classic sportswear shirts.
FABRIC:
a) NOS Albini white & blue woven stripe, 100% linen, light weight, breezy, milled in Italy.
b) NOS Kuroki double indigo twill (indigo warp x indigo weft), 100% cotton, 7 oz., solid white selvedge ID, milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Classic, versatile, elegant yet casual shirt style.
* Slim and trim silhouette.
* Traditional spread collar with a British flair.
* Original chest pocket design, diamond shape with MF® signature curved fold and streamline pocket stop stitching.
* Rear panel shirring with rounded piecing patch.
* Side gussets.
* Off-set shirt tail lengths (slightly longer rear tail).
* Red bartacks accent on gusset.
* Genuine mother of pearl buttons.
* Double-button rounded cuffs.
* Elegant front button placket pattern.
* High-stitch count and fine thread gauge construction.
* Chainstitch construction with signature inside contrast green stitching.
* Mister Freedom® mfsc “Sportsman” rayon woven label.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The ARISTOCRAT Shirt comes unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend this protocol:
- Rinse in cold water, machine setting on delicate, full cycle.
- Line dry, no heat dryer.
I opted for a Medium for a trim fit. I am 5’7 ~145 lbs. We recommend getting your usual size in MF® shirts, or size up for a more relaxed silhouette.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate soaked/rinsed measurements.
CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
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
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