Mister Freedom® MFSC “VAQUERO Blue Jeans”, made in USA.
‘Viva la Revolución’ Collection, Spring 2012
For the background story about this collection, read this first and proceed if I haven’t put you to sleep.
Early settlers of the old West adapted the Spanish word vaquero to buckaroo when referring to cowhands and horsemen.
Because of the ever presence of the European influence in Mexico in the 1800’s and 1900’s, we have opted for a pair of work pants pattern with details borrowed from tailor shops of the Old World. Our Vaquero Blue Jeans are constructed like early European trousers rather than like a five pocket type often associated with later cowboy pants. These features include side cinch straps, flared waistband, inside waist button flap, back welt pockets with reinforced facing, narrow width belt loops, no back yoke, open bottom hem…
The front pocket opening is a nod to Charro and Chinacos type trousers, with a flap somewhat similar to later western type pants.
The green color stitching hints to several work-wear brands that used green thread for bar tack or button holes (such as the Kansas brand Key Imperial Overalls, since 1908.)
We are using tonal stitching, giving the Vaquero its slacks appearance and a clean silhouette. The copper riveting on denim and selvedge side seams pull it back into work-wear type cowboy pants.
The fabric we chose is an original indigo dyed left hand twill denim developed by Sugar Cane Co in Japan, referred to as “Okinawa 301“. Not a cheap choice (being a very expensive process and therefore fabric) but well worth it for the textile connoisseurs. It blends cotton yarn with recycled sugar cane fibers (50/50) in a strong, slubby, hairy, coarse denim twill. After about 20 years (!) of R&D, Sugar Cane was able to perfect this magnificent denim twill that has won the hearts of hardcore denimheads because of the way it beautifully ages and fades. Now if that’s not a sales pitch…
Side note: This fabric is somewhat sentimental to me, as this was the denim I picked for the left leg of the “7161 Utility Trousers”, our first ever MFSC collaboration with Sugar Cane Co back in 2006.
MF® ol’ timers will remember these dungarees, aka ‘Frankenstein jeans’ (3 different denim/pair, sloppy stitching and a very weird original pattern)
48 raw pairs were sold in the USA (see photo below)…
The “Vaquero Blue jeans” are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Los Angeles as a collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An all original MFSC pattern, inspired by early European trousers, mixed with American cowboy pants.
FABRIC:
Raw 14 Oz. indigo dyed selvedge denim, left hand twill. 50% cotton blended with 50% recycled sugar cane fibers. White selvedge with green ID line. Milled in Japan.
Pocket bags: NOS all cotton stripe twill, USA.
Seat lining patch: white cotton sailcloth.
Note: TMI alert, for detail orientated folks, the inside button hole fly piece is made of NOS 12 Oz. selvedge Cone denim, same fabric as the Californian Lot.54
DETAILS:
* Trousers construction
* “Cowboy” front pocket opening
* Back welt pockets
* Side cinch straps, with NOS vintage French metal buckles
* Selvedge leg side seam
* Open bottom hem, for your cuffing discretion (hemmed, double hemmed, rolled…)
* Unmarked copper riveting
* Concealed accent with green thread button holes and inside chain stitch
* Flared waistband (narrower in back)
* Slim belt loops (trouser style)
* NOS stripe twill pocket bags and cotton sailcloth seat facing
* Early type ‘donut’ metal waist button, brown corozo wood fly buttons
* All cotton thread tonal stitching
PACKAGING: An original MF® denim bag, made in our studio, to sling around for your next trip to the local Farmer’s market, or Torreón.
SIZING/SHRINKAGE:
The “Okinawa 301” denim is RAW and unsanforized. Overall shrinkage from rinsing/washing should be about 5% to 8%, according to water temperature. This fiber denim will shrink with an original cold soak and line dry. It will expand a bit again with wear, then shrink again with subsequent rinsing. This normal evolution should settle after a while.
The Vaquero will shrink to TAGGED size.
We recommend an original cold soak (about 30mn), spin cycle and line dry. This will get you minimal shrinkage and retain ~100% of the indigo color. Some bleeding is expected with normal wear (from blue hands to blue whatever-is-tucked-in. Indigo bleeding will wash off.)
I am usually between a waist 30 and 32 with MFSC trousers/jeans, and I am wearing a 30 in the Vaquero Blue Jeans. Do not size up unless you really need the extra room. As always, boiling is not recommended (too much color loss), just get your size.
Remember that you will not get beautiful patina from extensive unneeded washing, but rather from repeat wear.
Note: The photos above are from a slightly worn pair, hemmed, showing minimal wear after an original cold soak. Production is UNWORN and raw.
Please refer to this sizing chart for approximate raw/cold soak measurements:
Available RAW/Unwashed.
(Tagged/will shrink to) Waist SIZES 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38
Inseam: Approx. 40 inches (open hem)
Retail $379.95
Call 323-653-2014 or mail sales@misterfreedom.com to get yours while they last. We ship internationally to select Countries. Thank you for the support, Señoras y Caballeros.
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Thanks Doc!Glad to handle that 301 indigo denim again 😉 My 7161 are hanging as a prop now, well deserved retirement. Haven’t seen any of the original 7161s for a long time, but will keep an eye, you never know… 😉
Congrats once again Christophe. It is beautiful. So glad to see again that fabric. i have the modified series of the 7161, i am still searching one of the originals….(size 34, anyone?)