 Mister Freedom® FW2024 Topsiders & FW2022 Mariner rollneck ©2022 ©2024
Mister Freedom® MARINER Rollneck Sweater, FW2022 (JP)
&
TOPSIDERS NOS Crosshatch Moss Denim, FW2024 (USA)
The one that got away meets the one we just got in!
The Mister Freedom® MARINER Rollneck Sweater is part of our mfsc FW2022 FROGSVILLE line-up (a stylistic incursion into the world of vintage UDT, Frogmen and US Navy SEALs, with loose 1940s-1970s combat diving and Special Ops references), but somehow never got coverage on this blog. More the result of a temporary disruption in brain cell activity from yours truly than a lack of interest on the subject.
So there it is!
In the footsteps of its PRIVATEER predecessor, the MARINER Rollneck Sweater is inspired by classic cable knit sweaters, revisited MF® style.
Our Frogsville story goes that the garment was a private purchase for our Californian frogman (fictitious) character. While on a mission off the West coast of Ireland, he just wanted to somewhat blend in with local fishermen…
Our twist is that the knit pattern of the MARINER has that classic Aran sweater vibe, but we opted for 100% cotton yarns instead of wool. Less allergy-inducing, and more SoCal-weather friendly. The sweater fabric has a soft hand, a fairly loose knit with horizontal crosswise stretch for a comfortable vibe. Not intended to compete with dense wool fisherman sweaters in the warmth department, but perfect for mild temps back home.
Our other twist is in the proportions, as we aimed for a shorter old-school silhouette that pairs well with the kind of classic mid-to-high-waisted trouser styles we favor. To further accentuate the 1930s~40s period aesthetics, we went for a 5 inch-long waistband that compliments one’s natural waist line. For ref, the Privateer had a 3½ inch-long waistband.
The long ribbed roll cuffs are also a nod to vintage sweaters.
Two color options for the MARINER, genuine indigo blue and black, another departure from traditional fisherman sweaters, as repros are not our game.
Next, and fresh from our local California factory, the Mister Freedom® TOPSIDERS are back!
The pattern — discussed at length here — is an old favorite dating back to 2014 in MF® chronology, but with design roots in WW2 US Navy denim dungarees. Classic generous cut, high-waisted, straight wrap leg, button fly, four patch pockets, cinch back.
We have released our TOPSIDERS in a few fabric options through the years, mostly all sold-out today, although some random pairs found in storage may pop up in the MF® warehouse occasionally.
This FW2024 release features a woven goodie we scored from a local fabric jobber a while back: some New Old Stock yardage of premium crosshatch denim twill with a nice indigo moss blue color, wide loom, 11 Oz., a blend of 70% cotton and 30% linen of probable Italian mill origin. This fabric has an attractive and unusual greenish indigo warp, enhanced by a charcoal grey weft yarn. Although it has worked perfectly for our Continental suiting series because of its fine drape/color/texture, it also carries a vintage military-issued might-have-been fabric vibe, perfect for the TOPSIDERS. Workwear meets premium denim.
The MF® MARINER Rollneck and MF® TOPSIDERS are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and produced respectively in Japan and USA, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
MF® MARINER Rollneck Sweater SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% cotton yarn, classic Lace-Diamond-Rope cable knit pattern.
Two color options:
1) Genuine dark indigo blue.
2) Black.
DETAILS:
* Classic knit pattern, inspired by vintage cable knit “fisherman” type sweaters.
* 100% cotton yarns.
* Traditional “Lace-Diamond-Rope” cable knit pattern.
* Single fold ribbed rollneck.
* 1930s-40s style long seamless ribbed waistband.
* Extended seamless ribbed roll cuffs.
* Original mfsc “Waterfront Surplus” woven rayon label.
* Made in JAPAN.
SIZING/FIT:
This explains how we size and measure our garments.
The MARINER Rollneck Sweater, in both indigo and black, comes pre-shrunk and is ready-to-wear as-is. No soaking required.
This garment is considered true-to-size. At ~5’7 & 145 Lbs, I opted for a SMALL, for a classic period “boxy” fit, with the waistband sitting at the natural waist.
Again, this is a period fit that may not work for one only comfortable with more modern and contemporary silhouettes, or with specific body proportions.
The MARINER cable knit pattern allows for generous horizontal (crosswise) stretch, with average natural recovery (= the knit’s ability to return to its initial size after being stretched.) Therefore, measurements can be a bit misleading, as with all “stretchy” knit garments.
We recommend sticking to your usual MF® size with this sweater. If you are a Medium in mfsc shirting, you are more-likely a Medium in the MARINER.
To save on unnecessary frustration and size swap shipping fees, please reach out to [email protected] to tune-in sizing if unsure. Please do provide body type and measurements, silhouette expectation, and, if available, measurements of a similar garment you own that fits according to your style.
CARE:
Turn sweater inside out. Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Air dry flat on a clean towel, or hang dry on a well-padded hanger to avoid shoulder stretching.
Wash with similarly-colored garments. Indigo tends to bleed on light-colored garments/furniture.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive shrinkage.
MF® TOPSIDERS Crosshatch Moss Denim SPECS:
FABRIC:
New Old Stock 11 Oz. Crosshatch Denim Twill, indigo moss blue (blue with a greenish sheen) warp x charcoal grey weft, wide loom, 11 Oz., slubby blend of 70% cotton & 30% linen, probable Italian origin.
DETAILS:
* Original pattern adapted from a vintage pair of WW2 US Navy denim dungarees.
* High-waisted, roomy straight leg, vintage 1940’s military utility trousers silhouette.
* Wrap-leg construction (no side seams.)
* Button fly, metal tack buttons, oxidized black donut type.
* Vintage USMC-style oxidized black Wreath & Star donut type waist button.
* Two functioning rounded-bottom front patch pockets, two deep rounded-bottom rear back pockets.
* Adjustable back cinch strap.
* Skinny belt-loops for 2” wide belts.
* Flat felled seam construction for seat and inseam.
* 100% cotton tonal stitching.
* MF® Sportsman green inside chainstitch accent.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® TOPSIDERS come raw/unwashed, and are cut so that the measurements roughly match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak in a tub for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
At ~5’7 & 145 Lbs, I opted for a comfortable W30. I wear them slightly cinched in the back because of the generous waist. I went for “sloppy rolls” for now, and may hem them later.
To save on unnecessary frustration and size swap shipping fees, please reach out to [email protected] to tune-in sizing if unsure. Please do provide body type and measurements, silhouette expectation, and, if available, measurements of a similar garment you own that fits according to your style.
CARE:
The MF® Topsiders NOS Crosshatch Moss denim are low-maintenance.
Garment turned inside-out, machine wash when needed, cold/warm water, delicate cycle, eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Using hot water or heat dryer may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
The MARINER and TOPSIDERS are available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Mister Freedom® Continental Bermudas & Manureva Deck Shorts, “COOPER” Edition.
The MF® Continental Bermudas — a trouser pattern inspired by classic late 50s-mid 60s casual cotton slacks, blended with vintage insular fashions — were initially released with a graded inseam of ~10’’, falling approximately one inch above the knee, for a traditional “Bermuda Shorts” style, documented here.
Similarly, our Manureva Deck Shorts — a completely different pant pattern inspired by 1970s “Bush Pants”, with canvas fabric colorways referencing visuals of vintage 1970s Hobie Cat® sails — averaged a stock 11’’ inseam.
I had gone on a custom cropping binge a few years back, and shortened all my Continental Bermudas to a 4’’~5’’ length. I find that proportion easier to wear for my frame, just personal preference.
I had also previously chopped (hemmed or just cut-off) all my Manureva Deck Shorts, anticipating an escape to Bora Bora with Tina in 2016, an epic trip and one of my happy places.
If you lean more towards a 1953 Gary Cooper in Acapulco vibe than a 1973 Angus Young schoolboy get up, our COOPER treatment may be the ticket on these summer shorts!
We have hemmed a few pieces of MF® Continental Bermudas at a ~6 ½’’ inseam, not as short-short as the look I pull but going for a more conservative traditional mid-thigh cut.
Same drill with a few Manureva Deck Shorts, now available shortened about one inch bellow the front patch pockets, a tad longer than my Bora Bora days chop job.
Now, get out in the sun and show some skin if that’s your thing, look alive, and get your vitamin D while you’re at!
The Mister Freedom® Continental Bermudas are designed and produced in California, USA.
The MF® Manureva Deck Shorts are designed in California, USA, and produced in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
All available here soon.
Maururu!
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Mister Freedom® “CONTINENTAL SPORTCOAT & “SPORTSMAN CHINOS” two-piece suit, cotton HBT jacquard edition
mfsc SS2024 Sportsman Catalog
Made in USA
For this edition of the Mister Freedom® Continental suit, we combined two of our popular classic patterns, the Continental Sportcoat and Sportsman Chinos, both staples of our made-in-USA Sportsman catalog.
The Sportsman Chinos and Continental Trousers feature similar design specifics, but differ fit-wise. While the top block is comparable on both models, the Sportsman Chinos are cut with a more generous 40s/50s-style leg, compared to the Continental Trousers slimmer leg profile. The choice is a matter of one’s personal style preferences and body type, and we opted for the Chinos pattern to better match the vibe of our AREA 7161 story.
The unstructured blazer style of the MF® Continental Sportcoat was initially inspired by a vintage French 1950s cotton twill work coat, jazzed-up by our Design Dept sometime in 2016, making recurring appearances every season since. Its no-padding construction and elegant-yet-casual attitude are reminiscent of vintage 1930s-50s tropical Palm Beach type suits.
The Mister Freedom® Continental series can be worn as matching sets, can be tastefully mismatched when texture/color/weight of the fabrics agree, or paired with whatever one is comfortable with. Remember, everyone has a soft spot for an honest man in a good suit! The only commitment of our Continentals is to be stylish, unpretentious, flexible, travel-friendly (i.e. low-maintenance), and — importantly — USA-made.
The Sportcoat, Trousers and Chinos are available in a range of classic NOS and Japan-milled fabric options.
The CONTINENTAL Sportcoat and SPORTSMAN Chinos, HBT Jacquard edition, are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
Save 15% when buying two or more Continental Suiting pieces with code Continental15 at checkout!
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Light-weight premium HBT (herringbone twill) Jacquard, textured and dry, 100% cotton, 10 Oz., milled in USA.
This fabric has a fairly loose weave, and should be considered/handled as delicate suiting material, rather than sturdy denim.
Color options:
a) Indigo HBT
b) Ivory/Natural HBT
Pocketing & half lining/facing: New Old Stock woven ticking stripe, 100% cotton.
CONTINENTAL SPORTCOAT, HBT Jacquard:
* Original MFSC pattern, inspired by vintage utilitarian cotton work coats — notably a 1950’s French postal uniform jacket — and vintage casual blazers.
* Unstructured silhouette, no padding.
* Lightweight and comfortable, perfect travel companion.
* High 4-button front, classic notched lapel.
* Corrozo wood buttons.
* Half shoulder floating lining.
* Side hip patch pockets with flaps, single chest patch pocket.
* Concealed (passport) chest pocket.
* Pocket openings reinforced on the inside with backing fabric.
* Form-fitting no-vent back panel.
* Tonal stitching, 100% cotton, clean caballo flat-felled seam construction, taped armhole opening, no open edges or overlock.
* Original Mister Freedom® “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label.
* Made in USA.
SPORTSMAN CHINOS, HBT Jacquard:
* Original MFSC pattern, inspired by vintage 1940’s-50’s cotton twill work pants and classic mens trousers tailoring.
* Relaxed vintage silhouette and fit, straight leg.
* Button fly, corrozo wood buttons.
* Double welt-type rear pockets.
* Original combo belt loops, wide & narrow.
* Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckle.
* Watch pocket.
* Tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread construction, clean caballo flat-felled leg seams.
* Tailor shop-style unfinished overlocked bottom leg opening, to suit your cuffing preferences.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on rear waistband, concealed when wearing a belt.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
This explains how we size and measure our garments.
The MF® CONTINENTAL Sportcoat and SPORTSMAN Chinos both come raw/unwashed. These garments are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak in a tub for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
Jacket and pants are considered true-to size. Subtle puckering and roping of the material/stitching will result from the rinsing process, slightly altering the fit and drape, and will give the HBT fabric plenty “life” and character.
Please refer to sizing chart for post cold soak measurements.
At 5’7 and ~145 lbs, I opted for a comfortable size 38 Sportcoat and relaxed silhouette W30 in the Chinos.
Reach out to [email protected] to tune-in sizing if needed.
Trousers hemming: After the initial soak/line-dry process, we recommend settling down on the final length after briefly wearing the pants (roll-cuffed) around the house a bit. Let the fabric crease and stretch, then decide on a proper classic leg break that works for you, pin up the hem, and proceed with cropping/hemming at your local tailor.
I went with a DIY blind (hand) stitch 1¼ inch hem.
For a classic period vibe, we recommend hemming and not “roll-up” cuffing.
CARE:
The light-weight HBT fabric has a fairly loose weave, and should be considered/handled as delicate suiting material rather than sturdy denim.
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, eco-friendly mild detergent. Line dry. To avoid color transfer, wash with similar colors, as the indigo HBT will initially bleed.
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 [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
 Good Dads deserve a Mister Freedom® MEDALIST! ©2024 Mister Freedom® MEDALIST Crewneck Sweatshirt, made in Japan.
Limited “Freedom” Print Edition, hand-silkscreened in USA.
First, a bit of R&D background on the Mister Freedom® MEDALIST, our take on the iconic American SWEATSHIRT, introduced sometime in 2021.
Like classic vintage sweatshirts (~ pre-1970s), our MEDALIST is cut from tubular fleeced jersey, meaning the sock-like cylinder body has no side seams.
With roots in the 1920s, modern tubular fleece has been produced since the 1950s on elaborate single-jersey circular knitting machines. Due to the cylinder shape and fixed circumference of the finished material, several machines and tedious set-ups are required to produce different sizes of the same tubular sweatshirt fabric.
Our waistband ribbing is also tubular, without the joining side seam typical of contemporary fashion sweatshirts. We opted for a special “5×1 needle-out” type of ribbing, a cool feature of certain rare and desirable vintage 1940s-50s specimen. Our friends at Toyo Enterprise sourced-out not only the perfect tubular fleece in Japan, but managed to mill the special needle-out tubular ribbing.
Construction wise, we scrutinized and dissected several vintage specimen collected over the years, studied classic proportions and cuts, found inspiration in period silhouettes from old photos and 1930s-1960s catalogs of athletic goods, tested prototypes with traditional stitching options… and basically came up with a very old-school looking winner, the MF® MEDALIST!
For our aesthetics, one of the key point was the “drop shoulder” look. Modern sweatshirts and even contemporary vintage replicas tend to prefer an updated non-slouching shoulder seam, for a “more tailored” look. The drop shoulder cut may be an acquired taste, like the leg twist on a pair of old Levi’s for instance, but we went for the “anti-fit” cut of authentic 1940s-50s vintage sweatshirts.
The double neck “V” insert design detail was initially intended as a stretch gusset on the neck band so that the pull-over warm-up shirt (made of wool in the early days) would fit over, say, a football helmet. Our MEDALIST 40s-style double Vs are of the “functioning” type, as they actually are double-layer stretchy ribbing inserts, and not just the decorative V-shaped flat lock stitching typical of later productions of sweatshirts. Many “V”s on contemporary sweats are also purely decorative.
Another feature of our MEDALIST are the underarm expansion gussets, an intricate construction challenge lifted from a rare 1950s vintage sweat from our archives.
Anyone familiar with vintage sweats knows of the common sleeves-are-too-short issue, the result of excessive shrinkage and improper shrink tests from the maker. This is one of the liberties we took with “authenticity”, as we carefully balanced the drop of the shoulder seam, calculated optimal sleeve length while considering the extra-long (foldable) ribbed cuffs, factored-in fabric shrinkage, adjusted sleeve width… to achieve a proper post-wash fit that will work for most.
As a touch of modern practicability, we mounted a back pocket to the sweatshirt rear panel, with an original flat-lock construction “sandwiched” in the waistband, a handy storage for a smart phone when cycling.
Now the graphic part!
As we recently resumed ops at our in-house silkscreening station, hand-printing a few MF® Shop Tees with our popular “Freedom” logo, we threw in a few white MEDALISTS in the mix. We may be working on other graphics and body colors in the future, but this is a limited batch, and so far the only water-based print available on the MEDALIST. Water-based prints, as opposed to more modern and even plastisol-type ink prints, are characterized by their soft hand, due to the ink penetrating the yarns, instead of a thicker layer clinging to the surface of the fabric.
We operate our silkscreening press by hand, so no two shirts will come out exactly alike, the finished look depending on the pressure applied to the squeegee, number of passes, stretch of the cotton jersey on the table, position of the shirt, outside temperature, ink mix, viscosity, curing time, etc.
Our water-based prints will fade overtime with normal wash/wear routine, just as classic vintage printed Ts and sweats.
For another vintage-style ornamentation method on our MEDALIST, using a completely different traditional technique, see our Japan-printed flock graphics here.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Mister Freedom® SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, OG-107 Cotton Sateen.
SS2024 mfsc AREA 7161 Collection.
Made in Japan.
The Mister Freedom® SWABBIES were initially released sometime in 2020 as full-legged bell-bottom denim trousers.
The pattern inspiration had come from a rare pair of 1940’s-50’s private-purchase naval dungarees from the “Portlite Uniform” maker, extensively documented here. If these conformed to the general silhouette and specs of traditional US Navy-issued denim dungarees — with authentic 1940’s-style navy bells and a traditional high waist —, they featured really fancy tailoring and intricate pattern work for a pair of utilitarian trousers. The apparently-inconspicuous two front pockets are actually a very clever combination of two types of pocket patterns, slash and patch, a construction tour-de-force on a wrap leg that only makes sense when studying the inside of the pants.
The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, as the name implies, are simply a cropped version of the SWABBIES, bye-bye bells. We hemmed the inseam at about 6 inches, for a mid-thigh length.
A common practice in tropical Theater of Operations in the old days, salty Navy personnel would chop-off their faded dungarees and turn them into swim shorts or off-duty bermudas. Another common practice was to undo the top button, and wear the shorts with the waistband rolled-down, as was often the case with UDT Scuba Trunks.
Following their navy blue HBT debut release, the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are now available in a classic 9 Oz. vintage Mil-Spec OG-107 cotton-back sateen fabric, in that timeless US military shade of Olive Green we all love. Milled in 2024 as close as it gets to its 1952 GI ancestor (unlike most contemporary overly-slubby commercial renditions), our OG-107 cotton sateen will age as gracefully as that of vintage fatigues.
Wear the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS at the original mid-thigh length, hem them shorter, roll them, or chop them and let the bottom fray (as I did with my navy blue HBT release), they are versatile short pants boasting a vintage pedigree, with a tough military/workwear classic vibe.
The mfsc SWABBIES CUT-OFFS are designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% cotton, vintage Mil-Specs cotton-back sateen, OG-107 color (classic US military Olive Green), 9 Oz., milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc pattern inspired by US Navy 1940’s-50’s private-purchase denim bell bottom trousers aka dungarees, cropped into short pants.
* Hemmed at mid-thigh, can be cropped to one’s preferred length.
* Wrap leg (no outseam.)
* Black 1940s-style laurel leaf starburst metal donut waist & fly buttons.
* Front pockets combining complex patch-type and slash-type pattern due to the challenge of the wrap leg. No open seams.
* Rear patch pockets cut using horizontal warp.
* Flat lock chainstitch construction.
* Tonal all-cotton stitching.
* Bar-tacked stress points.
* Woven rayon mfsc “AREA 7161” label on inside waistband.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING:
The SWABBIES CUT-OFFS come UN-WASHED and are 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 had opted for a W31 in the Denim Swabbies bell-bottom trousers, for a fitted top block, comfortable thighs and period flares. I went with a W30 in the SWABBIES CUT-OFFS, for both OG-107 Cotton Sateen and navy blue HBT versions.
CARE:
Launder when needed, low maintenance.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
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