Mister Freedom® SPEEDWAYS Cords, NOS Moss Green corduroy.
FW2019 mfsc Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
Some of the readers might be familiar with our SPEEDWAYS pattern. Originally released in cream and black cotton piqué under the “Speedway Piqué Jeans” moniker during Fall 2011, a modified version (sans buckle-back and with a slightly more tapered leg) made it to our made-in-USA Sportsman catalog in 2015, as the Malibu’s, offered in light indigo ‘sea denim’ and wheat color ‘sand denim’.
The SPEEDWAYS made a come back in black in 2017, flashing a fancy NOS matte finish coated denim.
Our MF® tribute to late 50’s/early 60’s popular ‘stovepipe’ type jeans gets another make-over for Fall 2019, this time with a New Old Stock corduroy fabric, in a vintage moss green color. This is the original color of the fabric as we found it, and it has a definite sixties vibe.
The combination of slim leg, extended waistband tab with concealed snaps, and belt loops substituted by adjustable side tabs, seem to have been a 1960’s staple of California Cool, and a wardrobe favorite for iconic actors such as McQueen (see the familiar William Claxton early 1960’s Palm Spring photo sessions.) An early corduroy version of this pant style, albeit with a wider leg , can be seen in the steamy “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958), fashionably sported by another voguish man, Hollywood and racetrack legend Paul Newman.
If you are after non-five pocket casual jeans with a vintage slim leg, and appreciate the streamlined waistband look without belt loops, the SPEEDWAYS could be the ticket. They are among my favorite go-to trousers pattern of the MF® mfsc catalog, and I rarely travel without throwing a pair in my suitcase.
The mfsc SPEEDWAYS Cords are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
New Old Stock 100% cotton corduroy, mid-wale, sixties-vibe moss green color.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by late 50’s early 60’s ’stovepipe’ jeans and vintage casual trousers.
* Waistband snap tab à la McQueen, concealed closure snaps.
* Streamlined waistband sans belt loops.
* Side snap cinch tabs (adjusting waist by about 1½” when both tabs are fully cinched)
* New Old Stock pocket bags: fancy woven dobby stripes.
* Discreet denim-like ‘selvedge’ tape tab on waistband.
* Zipper fly, brass “Gripper Zipper”.
* Discreet “M” stitched rear pockets.
* Flat-felled seam ‘caballo’ construction, with Sportsman green color chainstitch accent.
* Tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread.
* Woven rayon MF® mfsc “Sportsman” label on inside waistband.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The SPEEDWAYS CORDS come raw/unwashed.
We recommend the usual initial routine, cold soak for about 30~40mn, spin dry, hang dry.
These are true to size, with a somewhat generous waist (meaning a W32 measures a bit over 32 inches), and will settle to the tagged size following the above process.
I am usually between a w30 and W32 in mfsc pants, and I’m in luck since the Speedways come in W31. According to waistline fluctuations, I cinch one or both side tabs, which keeps the pants up.
The bottom hem is done by single needle machine, not chainstitch, an easy operation for your local alteration place. As a matter of personal preference with this Speedways pattern, I opted for the sixties-vibe “flood” look with no trousers break. To each his own, but we do not recommend cuffing these with jeans rolls.
When deciding which length works for you before alteration, especially if you are planning to heat-dry these in the future, consider the potential extra shrinkage of the leg seams (due to the 100% cotton thread caballo stitching) which will bunch the fabric and pull-up the inseam noticeably.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw and cold-soaked/hang dry measurements.
CARE:
Launder when necessary. These are low maintenance but should be turned inside-out to avoid potential fabric marbling.
Wash in cold water, gentle cycle, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Available RAW/Unwashed
Waist 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38.
Available from our Los Angeles red brick HQ, from www.misterfreedom.com, 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®
©2019
Mister Freedom® TRAILBLAZER, Brushed Cotton Sateen.
mfsc FW2019 Surplus Catalog.
Made in Japan.
Do you know what a camel is?
Someone once said that a camel is a horse designed by a Board of Experts…
Well, our TRAILBLAZER is one of those hybrid species from Weirdsville, courtesy of the MF® Design Department. Working on FW2019 last year, the initial intention of our in-house Board of Experts – joined that day by Mr. Tom Tanaka, friend, skilled surfer and head of the International Dept. of Toyo Enterprise – was to release a winter version of the SECOYA Shirt, merely updating the light ounce chambray to a heftier fabric option. So much for that easy-breezy plan…
Ideas started flowing, such as making the shirt full button-up front (not pull-over), and using metal grommets instead of stitched eyelets for ventilation.
I had quickly dismissed a suggestion by Tina from Bazar a few weeks prior to that FW2019 meeting, pointing out to the practicality of “a shirt with added slash pockets”, just because her pitch had started with “you know what you should do?” That idea popped back up on the drafting table during the design meeting. A few cups of brain juice later and we had a few rough sketches for the “kangaroo” pockets and front button placket, which materialized later into the mfsc TRAILBLAZER courtesy of Sensei Fukutomi San, pattern maestro of Toyo Enterprise.
We had been contemplating for a while using Brushed Cotton Sateen for an mfsc project, a popular textile for casual sportswear in the 1960’s-70’s, and a big hit in Europe at the time. The leisure suit collector and vintage fashion gourmet will relate to funky-fresh Lee® trucker jackets with matching bottoms, and to the plethora of off-brand flare jeans and shirt-jaks cut from that glorious textile, in a wild palette of pastel or bold colors. This fabric would be a perfect fit for our trailblazing cameloid.
The FW2019 TRAILBLAZER fabric is a weft-faced brushed sateen, a tightly woven twill with a characteristic soft brushed satin weave face and a plain weave reverse. We opted for two complimenting colors, Prussian blue and rust, lifted from two vintage garments from the MF® vintage archives.
If the rest of the specifics of the Secoya Shirt are still there – double-shoulder yoke, selvedge gussets, chin strap, and combo of assorted colorful tin-pressed buttons – the mfsc TRAILBLAZER is in a league of its own. With the four front pockets contrasting with the rounded shirttail panels typical of vintage tuck-in style shirting, the garment had morphed into an overshirt/jacket.
Blending 1930’s details and 1970’s fabrics, the vibe of our TRAILBLAZER is somewhat reminiscent of early California rock climbing and mountaineering (see The Stone Masters, “Valley Uprising” documentary, etc…), rather than the initial Dust Bowl workwear vibe of its Secoya predecessor.
The MF® TRAILBLAZER is designed in California by the Mister Freedom® Board of Experts and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100 % cotton sturdy weft-faced brushed sateen, selvedge. Milled in Japan.
Two color options: Prussian blue and Rust.
Facing: 100% cotton Buzz Rickson’s USN-type indigo chambray, selvedge.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc design, blending vintage 1930’s-1940’s classic American fancy chambray work shirt patterns, 1970’s fashionable fabrics, early California rock climbing low-tech vibes, in a contemporary approach.
* Full button-up front.
* Two bottom slash pockets with original “brain-juice special” pocket bag construction.
* Vintage “Double-Back / Double-Shoulder Yoke / Double-Underarm” pattern.
* Ventilation metal eyelet grommets on underarm and back panels.
* Rounded shirttails with selvedge side gussets.
* 1930’s style chin-strap.
* Front button-up plackets/cuff slits/chest pockets featuring indigo chambray facing accents.
* Combination of 1940’s style tin-pressed metal painted buttons, contrasting colors and models. (Note that the paint chips off easily, as it did on vintage buttons.)
* Double chest pocketing, buttoned down.
* Blue chambray concealed chest pocket, displaying fabric selvedge.
* High-count 100% cotton tonal stitching, chainstitch overall construction, no open/overlocked seams.
* Original MF® mfsc “Surplus” woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® TRAILBLAZER comes raw/unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend this usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Spin dry and line dry.
- Hang until fully dry.
This shirt is a non tuck-in type, and is considered more like an over-shirt or shirt-jacket. I wear a comfortable Medium in the TRAILBLAZER, my usual size in mfsc shirts, with enough room to layer.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements.
Soaked = 30-40mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
CHART
Available RAW/unwashed.
CARE:
Launder when needed. We recommend turning garments inside out to avoid marbling of the fabric during laundering.
Machine wash on gentle cycle, cold water, minimum eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
SIZES:
14½ (Small)
15½ (Medium)
16½ (Large)
17½ (X-Large)
18½ (XX-Large)
Available from our Los Angeles red brick HQ, from www.misterfreedom.com, 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®
©2019
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MF® RB “Midnight” denim ©2019
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Mister Freedom® RANCH BLOUSE & CALIFORNIAN Lot.64MD, 16 Oz. selvedge “Midnight Denim”.
FW2019 mfsc Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
We are excited to release this anticipated combo for FW2019, our staple Californian Lot.64 and Ranch Blouse patterns in a smashing 16 Oz. “Midnight Denim” (MD)!
This original mfsc fabric was previously featured on the 2015 MF® Caban Peacoat, and we couldn’t wait to get a fresh new batch milled again for this 2019 project. The dark indigo warp and black weft give this twill an almost solid black appearance, enhanced by deep blue undertones and by the prospect of a very attractive indigo patina developing overtime.
Our classic Ranch Blouse (drafted sometime back in 2010) and Californian Lot.64 pattern are consistent with previous iterations available here, so I will spare the reader the usual lengthy introduction. Whether going for the full matching top/bottom ‘Man-in-Black’ look, or pairing either piece with traditional blue denim, this “Midnight” combo is versatile and classic enough to keep you on the cool side of the street for some time.
The “Midnight” Ranch Blouse and Californian LOT.64MD (available separately) are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co., from denim fabric milled in Japan.
SPECS
Fabric:
16 Oz. “Midnight” Denim, dark indigo warp x black weft, solid white selvedge ID, milled in Japan.
Pocketing/facing: NOS 10.5 Oz. crosshatch “PLAYER” denim twill, light indigo moss blue-green color, cotton-linen blend, EU origin.
“Midnight” RANCH BLOUSE:
DETAILS:
* Early round-type collar, A-1 style.
* ‘Vintage’ boxy but fit silhouette.
* Pleated front with original MF® arrowhead dart stitching.
* Original MF® “M” stitching on chest pockets.
* Single pocket flap.
* Selvedge front panel fold.
* NOS moss blue denim twill facing for collar and pocket flap.
* Brass cast MF® branded tack buttons.
* Buckle back, concealed selvedge strap, adjustable, riveted.
* Copper rivet reinforced, unmarked hardware with backing leather washer.
* Subtly contrasting two-tone stitching, 100% cotton thread.
* MF® branded black tea-core leather patch on rear waist band.
* Original mfsc printed “Buckaroo” cloth label.
* Made in USA
SIZING FIT:
The “Midnight” Ranch Blouse comes UN-WASHED and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry.
I wear my usual Ranch Blouse size in this “Midnight” edition, a cold-soaked 38. Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements.
Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
Available Raw/unwashed ONLY.
Sizes
34 X-small
36 Small
38 Medium
40 Large
42 X-Large
44 XX-Large
“Midnight” CALIFORNIAN Lot.64MD:
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern.
* Button fly.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* NOS moss blue denim twill pocketing.
* MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* MF® branded black tea-core leather patch on rear pocket.
* Subtly contrasting two-tone stitching, 100% cotton thread.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching.
* Unlined rear pockets.
* Combination of brass/silver original MF® branded metal cast waist/fly tack buttons.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper black “MD” pocket flasher.
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The “Midnight” Californian LOT.64MD blue jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 will shrink to approximately 32 inches x 34 inches after a soak/dry process.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I opted for a W31 with this model (I am usually a W32 in MF® Californians), for a comfortable fit with a snug top block and straight leg silhouette.
As with all denim twills, shrinkage and stretching will occur for a while and will depend on the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements.
Soaked = 30-40mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
Available RAW/unwashed ONLY.
Sizes
W28 x L32
W29 x L32
W30 x L32
W31 x L32
W32 x L34
W33 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L36
W38 x L36
DENIM CARE:
The specific “Midnight” denim features dark indigo warp (the color visible on face of the fabric) combined with a black weft (visible on the reverse.) As with all indigo-dyed denim, croaking (bleeding) is to be expected. The indigo color will rub on light color garments and furniture. The black will not rub.
Wash denim jeans and jackets when needed. Machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Wash separately from light-colored garments.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, 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®
©2019
“Is cycling just a little thing with you, or are you serious?” Triumph Ad (1965)
Photo Yoshi Miyazaki (Seven Bros) ©2019
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Clutch Magazine outakes. Photo Yoshi Miyazaki (Seven Bros) ©2019
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Photo Yoshi Miyazaki (Seven Bros) ©2019
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Photo Yoshi Miyazaki (Seven Bros) ©2019
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I swear that’s the last one! Photo Yoshi Miyazaki (Seven Bros) ©2019
Mister Freedom® “Mulholland DRIZZLE-KING”, cachou cotton canvas.
FW2019 mfsc SURPLUS Catalog.
Made in Japan.
Back in 2009, we released a British-style riding jacket, part of a “Speed Safe Clothing For Modern Riders” story, the original Mister Freedom® Mulholland Master. That first model, issued in chocolate brown jungle cloth, was followed by a black version, re-released and updated in 2016 as part of the mfsc Anniversary Collection. That same year, an indigo jungle cloth model was also introduced.
The “Mulholland DRIZZLE-KING™” is our 2019 interpretation.
A few words on the roots of that classic design first, to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”…
Today a familiar silhouette in fashionable menswear, the origins of the classic “A7 jacket” arch back to the mid 1930’s. The jacket’s design, with its instantly-recognizable slanted chest pocket and rain-proof flaps, emerged out of the UK. Originally developed by J. Barbour and Sons for the military, the jacket would later be associated with typical British motorcycle oil cloth riding gear. Similar styles from competing motor-cycling apparel brands were subsequently made available, such as wax cloth pioneer Belstaff‘s versions.
By the 1960’s recreational motorcyclists around the world, and select professional racers alike, had adopted the ‘European’ style riding gear fashion. In 1964, the US Olympic Team would give the British motorcycle jacket its Lettres of Coolness during the International Six Day Trials (ISDT), with a little push from one of the official members, rider number 278…
We got the “Mulholland” name of our humble interpretation of that classic garment from one of Los Angeles’ iconic highway, a scenic stretch of asphalt turned playground for Californian motorcycle riders, automotive speedsters and local midnight cruisers.
The Mister Freedom® Mulholland Master‘s pattern borrows heavily from vintage UK apparel, but also blends in elements of classic US military gear such as 1940’s paratrooper outfits (M-42 type) and early BU. Aero US Navy flight jackets (M-421a type). Our interpretation combines old school British moto style with American coolness, keeping the 1960’s vibe while giving the garment a contemporary fit.
Our Mulholland Master iterations have always been heavy jackets, confined to the closet for most of the year in Southern California. So we thought of adding a somewhat “light” version for 2019. We initially considered stripping the design of some of its intricate details (diamond elbow patch, complex pocket patterns, “sandwiched” lining, etc…), but decided against it. The Mulholland would stay the Mulholland, and no corners would get cut! The Japanese factory that had been producing our Mulhollands since 2009 initially turned down doing another run, but eventually agreed to the challenge again. Design-wise, we merely edited-out the removable snap-on chin strap, which proved to mostly be used as a Lost & Found staple anyways!
To shave off some of the bulkiness and weight of the early Mulholland models, we decided to substitute the heavy jungle cloth with the 13 Oz. ‘cachou’ cotton duck canvas of our popular Conductor Jacket, and to replace the traditional corduroy lining with the eye-pleasing cotton woven plaid previously featured on the Dune Buggy Jacket. The result is still a hefty coat of about 4 Lbs (!) but a bit more versatile and So Cal-friendly, without falling into the contemporary fashiony versions.
WAXING: We are only issuing the DRIZZLE-KING™ in its raw, untreated form. The canvas is not water-repellent, and some owners might opt to wax the jacket as a DIY project. We will soon publish a brief video recap of the waxing process of an early DRIZZLE-KING prototype on the MF® Youtube account, but please be warned that it is a real endeavor! Waxing is also a commitment, as once you start you have to finish, and there’s no un-waxing the garment. The “waxed look” is also an acquired taste, we’ve heard it referred-to quite poetically as the “homeless look”… Keep in mind that your seat companion on the plane might not get all the vintage oilcloth and cool ISDT references!
For the bold who wants to proceed, considering the potentially amazing-looking results and rewarding patina, we recommend pure natural beeswax (about 2 Lbs.), a heat gun (hair dryer won’t cut it), a bucket of elbow grease, and a lot of patience. Note that, after curing overnight, the waxed jacket will be stiff as a board if you use pure beeswax, as opposed to the usual petroleum-based commercial thornproof dressing.
The Mulholland “DRIZZLE-KING” is designed in California by MISTER FREEDOM® and produced in Japan by SUGAR CANE Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Shell: Sturdy and crispy 100% cotton duck canvas, 13 Oz., selvedge, brown ‘cachou’ color, milled and dyed in Japan.
Lining: Cotton/linen blend woven plaid, indigo and white tartan.
DETAILS:
* Freely inspired by vintage classic British motorcycling apparel, 1940’s US Paratrooper jackets and other vintage military coats.
* Four front snap flap ‘rainproof’ pockets and one rear snap flap pocket, for maps/tools/documents. Top right pocket secured by concealed “Conmatic” zipper. Pockets lined with plaid fabric.
* Inside chest pocket.
* Belted, featuring a solid US-made brass police garrison buckle. (For the rowdy type, that removable belt can also turn into an instant weapon, should you and your cycle survive an encounter with a texting ‘n driving genius, for whom turn signals and rear-view mirrors are purely SUV decorative options.)
* Italian “Fiocchi” brass snaps, original manufacturer of Italian military snaps, along with their cousin counterpart Company DEWEY.
* Heavy-duty 1950’s-type US mil-specs oxidized black metal TALON zipper front closure.
* Wind flap secured by snaps.
* Stand collar with adjustable buckle strap, corduroy-lined.
* Diamond elbow patches, M-421A BU. Aero US Navy jacket-style.
* Adjustable gusset wrist snap closures.
* Tonal stitching, cotton-wrapped poly thread.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The DRIZZLE-KING come raw/unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend our usual method for raw cotton garments:
* 30-40mn cold soak with intermittent hand agitation, in minimally-filled washing machine or bath tub.
* Spin dry cycle (if using a machine).
* Hang dry.
I wear a comfortable 38 in this coat and all other Mulholland models, with room for a thick shirt or wool sweater underneath.
We have taken the measurements to the best of our abilities. Refer to our sizing chart and remember that measurements are from the outside of the fabric.
CHART
CARE:
Please DO NOT attempt to wash this jacket in a home washing machine! You risk ruining both machine and jacket, as the DRIZZLE-KING weights a ton when wet.
Activities and frequency of wear will obviously dictate when cleaning is needed. Please use common sense with spot cleaning, or take the jacket to a professional eco-friendly cleaner. Remove the belt before cleaning.
The DRIZZLE-KING can also be hand-washed in a tub filled with cold water. Use eco-friendly detergent. Hang to dry.
IMPORTANT: Treat your zipper as you would a vintage one, rub wax to lubricate at times, and use common sense rather that brute force to zip and unzip, making sure tabs line-up when zipping.
If you have opted to wax your jacket, washing it will remove some of the wax and void the rain-proofing benefits. The jacket will have to be waxed again.
Available rinsed/pre-shrunk.
Sizes
36 Small
38 Medium
40 Large
42 X-Large
44 XX-Large
Soon available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, 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®
©2019
Mister Freedom® “Chemise Poilu”, Cotton Dobby Stripe.
FW2019 mfsc “PIOUPIOU” Collection.
Made in Japan.
The Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane Co “Chemise Poilu” is the second shirting installment of the mfsc “PIOUPIOU” collection, a concept previously introduced in this post, loosely inspired by World events of the first half of the 20th Century.
The Grandfather of the M35 – the khaki uniform shirt issued to French troops in 1935 and the inspiration behind the MF® Liquette M35 – was a flannel pull-0ver collarless shirt introduced in 1878. Issued in stripe or small check patterns, that M1878 garment might seem like an odd choice for an official piece of WW1 uniform, even for the fashion-conscious French Army État Major! However, the civilian-looking shirt was concealed under a fully-buttoned tunic, and was only worn on the outside during rest periods, or chow time at camp.
When military tunics started featuring open collars the mid 1930s’s, the need for more ‘appropriate’ shirting became evident. In 1935, the M35 with its elegant and fashionable “Col Aiglon” was introduced, in a range of drab khaki colors. That specific Aiglon collar shape was a key design feature of our recently-released take on the M35, somehow demilitarized by our choice of fancy indigo linen and workwear stripe ticking fabrics.
The MF® interpretation of the M1878 is a departure from the vintage originals (see photo below of an authentic WW1 striped model and its characteristic period black ink chest marking), with their rudimentary pattern and tent-like dated fit. We actually pulled-out an old original mfsc pattern from the vaults for the body, the Chemise Hirondelle from our “Les Apaches” days of 2011. After tweaking pocketing and collar patterns, it morphed into a new shirt matching our Pioupiou story.
A key element was also the choice of fabric. We sourced out fancy shirting textiles from contemporary traditional bespoke tailoring catalogs and settled on two distinct cotton Dobby stripe fabrics. The white one is a striped combination of herringbone twill and sateen weave. The “Bleu Horizon” (sky blue) one is not a mere colored version of that, but a striped combo of sateen and poplin weave.
Interestingly, our fabrics are strikingly similar to vintage swatches included in a 1915-1916 supply catalog from the “BRÜNER WOOLEN Co, Importer and Manufacturers of Fine Tailors Trimmings”, preciously preserved in the MF® archives. The swatches are described as “French (and English) Mercerized Sateen”. The militaria collector will note that our pick of luxurious fabrics for the 2019 MF® Chemise Poilu is quite the departure from the utilitarian striped/checkered twills of authentic M1878 shirts, but you get the drift.
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Vintage 1915-1916 Tailoring Trims catalog.
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Original vintage WW1 French Army shirt with typical chest ink marking.
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An authentic circa 1916 Poilu shirt, and our 2019 interpretation.
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Genuine bone buttons for the MF® FW2019 Chemise Poilu..
Shirring on the cuffs and back yoke also add a touch of fancy tailoring. Genuine bone button with subtle variations in color are an extra vintage reference to 1900’s shirting.
We adapted the collar of our 2011 Hirondelle to a stand collar band type, and revisited the pocket shapes to accommodate a mobile phone, more popular today than pocket watches. The curvy and mirrored pocket flap shape dates back to when we were getting quite creative with them!
The characteristic ‘dangling’ cloth tab at the bottom of the button placket was initially conceived to fasten to one’s breeches waist button in the old days, to guarantee shirts stay tucked-in. We kept the nod to the 1910’s-30’s, but added a button to secure the tab on the shirt, understanding this was a 100 year-old obsolete feature. Get creative and submit a potential use for that tab to the HQ, for a chance to be featured on the MF® store IG feed!
This release wraps the Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane Co FW2019 mfsc “PIOUPIOU” epic collection.
The MF® Chemise POILU is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
For in-depth research on WW1 French uniforms, we recommend “L’Armée Française dans la Première Guerre Mondiale” (ISBN 10: 3902526106) from this publisher, and publications from Histoires & Collections.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
An original mfsc pattern inspired by vintage French military uniform shirts, Old World fancy tailoring and early utilitarian shirting.
FABRICS:
Two distinct cotton Dobby stripe option:
a) White: Fine 100% cotton, white background with woven blue and black pinstripe, alternating herringbone twill and sateen weave.
b) Blue: Fine 100% cotton, “Bleu Horizon” (sky blue) background with woven blue and navy stripes, alternating poplin and sateen weave.
DETAILS:
* Pull-over type, with front expansion pleat.
* Stand collar with chin strap.
* Genuine bone buttons, with subtle variations in natural colors.
* Original mfsc pocket shapes and flaps.
* Unbalanced chest pocketing. Elongated right pocket fits average mobile phone.
* Tab on button placket to secure to breeches’ waist button.
* Cuffs and back yoke shirring.
* Contrasting shirt tails, longer in back and rounded in front.
* Inside triangular side gusset reinforcement patches.
* Original mfsc “Pioupiou” woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Both fabric options of the MF® Chemise POILU come raw/un-rinsed.
We recommend the usual protocol for cotton shirts before wearing:
* Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
* Spin dry and line dry.
Both versions will fit the same following the above procedure. I am usually a Medium (15½) in mfsc shirting, and I opted for a Medium in both fabric options, for a comfortable somewhat ‘period’ fit with a ‘vintage’ silhouette partly due to the extended rear shirt tail.
Extra (quite attractive) seam puckering will happen if using a heat dryer (on low), and will also result in extra (minimal) shrinkage as the seams pull.
We recommend getting your usual mfsc shirt size, but please refer to sizing chart for measurements, reflecting a 30-40mn cold soak/spin dry/line dry process. The raw measurements are given for reference only, as the numbers that actually matter are post soak. We do believe that, according to frequency of use, washable garments should be laundered when needed, and not kept ‘raw’.
CARE:
Launder when needed. Machine wash on gentle cycle, cold water, minimum eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES:
14½ (Small)
15½ (Medium)
16½ (Large)
17½ (X-Large)
18½ (XX-Large)
Available from our Los Angeles red brick HQ, from www.misterfreedom.com, 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®
©2019
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