Mister Freedom® “Le Valseur”, Stripe Covert and Indigo cotton-linen HBT.
GYPSY BLUES mfsc collection Spring 2017.
Made in Japan.
Dancing partner of the Veste Belleville and its Gilet Gadjo sidekick, the MF® Valseur is the latest addition to our Gypsy Blues Spring 2017 collection.
This new pattern is inspired by French 1920’s to 1950’s fancy gentlemen’s trousers, mixing elements of several vintage specimen from our archives into the usual Mister Freedom® shaker. The higher rise and full straight leg of the Valseur are a nostalgic nod to ballroom dancing, guinguettes and Saint-Germain-des-Prés jazz caves, but should also work for the rave shuffle.
The defunct colloquialism valseur is a French argot term that only old-timers will get. The literal translation is “waltz dancer”, but in 1900’s slang, valseur came to designate a pair of trousers. It was also used by wise guys and Parisian Apaches to refer to one’s buttocks…
More relevantly, our trousers come in two distinct fabric options.
Both were introduced with the release of our Veste Belleville and the Gilet Gadjo: an indigo-dyed cotton/linen HBT (the same sturdy fabric of our Waterfront Coat, indigo-dyed to a dark and rich hue), a textile inspired by early French firemen uniform of the 1900’s, and a 100% cotton stripe covert fabric, a sort of heather charcoal grey salt & pepper with a subtle woven stripe pattern, developed from a vintage swatch of 1930’s French workwear NOS textile. Both fabrics were milled in Japan.
The Valseur is designed in California by MISTER FREEDOM® and manufactured in Japan by SUGAR CANE Co.
SPECS:
FABRICS:
Option A) indigo HBT
A sturdy 15 Oz. blend of 80% linen and 20% cotton indigo-dyed HBT textile, selvedge, milled in Japan.
Please note that some light streaking can be observed on leg panels at times. This is due to the nature of indigo-dyeing this specific heavy textured fabric. This is not considered as a defect, and will subside with wear. This indigo-dyed fabric is very light sensitive and its hue will evolve rapidly.
Option B) Stripe Covert
A lighter 9 Oz. covert woven stripe 100% cotton fabric, black selvedge ID, milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by classic 1920’s to 1950’s French gentlemen’s trousers and fine tailor-made garments.
* Higher rise, fit top block and full straight leg silhouette.
* Button fly with utilitarian unmarked ‘donut’ metal buttons (copper for the indigo, brass for the covert).
* French-style waist metal hook.
* Selvedge outseam.
* Contrast indigo Wabash twill pocket bags and waistband lining.
* Taped seat seam, fancy indigo-dyed tape.
* Metal “Art Deco” style suspender buttons.
* Two rear welt pockets, with arcuate decorative stitching.
* Cinch back, strap lined with NOS mfsc “Reno” calico twill and featuring a vintage-style copper/steel metal prong buckle.
* Shorter belt loops, for elegant < 1 inch-wide leather belts.
* Tailor-made style crotch lining, cotton sateen.
* 100% cotton stitching (navy blue for Stripe Covert, tonal for Indigo HBT).
* Original “Gypsy Blues” mfsc woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Both fabric options come raw/unwashed. We recommend the usual method, initial cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
To get the leg silhouette I desired, opted for a Waist 30 in the Stripe Covert. A bit tight in the waist at first since I am more of a measured W31, but the fabric gives slightly with wear and light rug-cutting.
I opted for a Waist 30 in the indigo HBT version as well. A bit more forgiving in the waist (the fabric tends to stretch out slightly with wear), the silhouette is similar but the drape quite different due to the bulkiness of the HBT weave.
Please refer to chart to figure which size works for you. If still confused, email sales@misterfreedom.com
Valseur COVERT
Valseur HBT
CARE:
Indigo HBT: When needed, hand wash or machine wash on delicate, cold water, minimal eco-friendly detergent. Turn inside-out to avoid marbling of the fabric. Line dry ONLY.
DO NOT use heat dryer as this will leave marbling lines and set un-natural creases to the indigo HBT linen fabric.
Covert stripe: Machine wash on delicate, cold water, minimal eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
W28 x L34
W30 x L34
W32 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L34
W38 x L34
Indigo HBT: $ 499.95
Covert Stripe: $ 449.95
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®
©2017
MF® Liquette Tzigane, old Kékfestés printing blocks and a vintage Hungarian folkwear indigo skirt with a red Kelsch patch.
Mister Freedom® “Liquette Tzigane”, fine cotton poplin, Kékfestés-style indigo print.
GYPSY BLUES mfsc collection Spring 2017.
Made in Japan.
In our Spring 2017 mfsc lookbook, we introduced two specific mens shirt designs for our GYPSY BLUES collection, both with somewhat of a bohemian vibe. First up was the Liquette Manouche, a polka-dot print pull-over type shirt released in two color options. Next number up is the long-awaited “Liquette Tzigane”.
You already know that Liquette is an old French argot (slang) term designating a man’s shirt. The word Tzigane (or Tsigane) can be used to designate a person of Eastern European Romani ancestry, although the term hints at a specific culture within the Gypsy world (often with a musical connotation) rather than a geographic origin. Sounds of lamenting violins playing “Les Yeux Noirs” around the fire camp, with a string of caravans in the background, come to mind.
The shirt pattern of the Liquette Tzigane is inspired by several vintage 1920’s-30’s fancy specimen, twisted à-la MF®. To give our shirt its Tzigane bohemian vibe, we tapped into the little-known indigo world of Kékfestés, literally “blue-dyeing”, a traditional centuries-old Hungarian textile-dyeing technique producing beautiful indigo resist-dyed fabrics. Sometimes referred to in France as Bettelkelsch, the motifs are somewhat reminiscent of Old West indigo discharge-print calicoes popular with American workwear aficionados today, and sporadically featured in MF® collections, such as the popular “Les Apaches” Chemise Calico from 2011.
A few vintage Kékfestés folkwear pieces at the MF® ol’ pile o’ rags.
If the specific calico motif design of the Mister Freedom® Liquette Tzigane is shamelessly lifted from a rare 1930’s folkwear skirt from our vintage textile archives (featured in one of the photos), we decided against the traditional wood block resist paste technique for production, for obvious cost considerations. Technically, the fabric of our shirt, initially white, is printed with two shades of indigo (a very dark and deep hue -almost black- for the background, and a cadet blue for the larger dots) using a silkscreen bleed-through method. The tiny white dots show the original color of the fabric, unprinted. In the repeat motif, these groups of four dots are unevenly spaced, to convey the organic wood block hand-printed feel of Kékfestő.
Voila, you now know that the word Kékfestés does not refer to a tropical disease transmitted by water buffaloes.
Those interested in textile and costume history will visit the Pápai Kékfestő Múzeum when around Budapest, Hungary, for more accurate info. The Musée Alsacien de Strasbourg also sounds like a good place to spend an afternoon to learn about heritage and fashion, when traveling to North Eastern France.
The Liquette Tzigane is designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan by Sugar cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Fine and crispy 4 Oz. 100% cotton poplin, indigo-printed with a bleed-through technique.
Milled and printed in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by 1920’s-1930’s fancy shirting, and vintage Kékfestés Hungarian folk textiles for a ’Tzigane’ bohemian twist.
* Versatile collar pattern with double button tab, fashionable as a classic open collar, cutaway style or high-buttoned.
* Original MF® pocketing (from the 2012 MF® Prairie Shirt).
* Indigo poplin button placket facing.
* Early shirting curvy tails.
* Side gussets.
* Corozo wood buttons, indigo blue color.
* Shirred back yoke and cuffs.
* High-count stitching, early shirting narrow chainstitch construction.
* Original mfsc Gypsy Blues woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Liquette Tzigane comes raw/unwashed.
Follow the usual initial method before wearing: cold soak for 30mn, spin dry and line dry.
Because there’s never a dull moment in the mfsc Fit Dept., ?, we recommend sizing UP on the Liquette Tzigane. I usually wear a Medium in mfsc shirts, and went with a Large with this shirt, for a comfortable fit. The fine 4 Oz. poplin drapes nicely, so the extra fabric doesn’t bother me, giving the shirt a bit of a ‘blousy’ bohemian feel.
Stylish petite ladies will find the Liquette Tzigane in size Small quite an attractive addition to their discerning closet.
Please refer to chart to figure out which size works for you. “Rinsed” means soaked for 30mn in cold water, spin dry and hang dry.
If still confused, email sales@misterfreedom.com
CARE:
Machine wash on delicate when needed, cold water, eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
XX-Large
Retail: $349.95
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®
©2017
Worn on/off for ~ 2 months.
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MF® Californian Lot.674, slim-fitting yet action-packed.
Mister Freedom® Californian Lot.674 Blue Jeans, “301 Okinawa” 14 Oz. sugar cane fiber left-hand twill denim.
Spring 2017 mfsc Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
Introduced sometime during 2010, the Mister Freedom® Californian Blue Jeans is our interpretation of the classic five pocket denim jeans. In the past seven years, we have released several versions of the pattern and fit. Here is a brief recap:
* Californian Lot.54 (yellow paper flasher, 2010): The original issue, straight leg, classic 1950’s silhouette. Issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.44 (box package, 2011): Similar pattern, buckle back added, straight leg, classic 40’s-1950’s silhouette. Issued in about 37 types of NOS denim twills.
* Californian Lot.64 (red paper flasher, 2013): Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Originally issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64US (Army green paper flasher, 2014): “Uncle Sam” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64OK (Orange paper flasher, 2014): “Okinawa Advisor” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 14 Oz. “Okinawa 301” indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.74 (Aqua green paper flasher, 2015): Tapered, our slimmest leg, classic “1960’s youth” vibe. Originally issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim, then in NOS 12.5 Oz. wheat denim…
* Californian Lot.654 (yellow paper flasher, 2015): Pattern and fit of our classic Lot.64, with the bells and whistles of our original Lot.54. Issued in NOS 12 Oz. Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64E (red/white stripe paper flasher, 2016): Special “US Presidential Election” Edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 16.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
For Spring 2017, we are welcoming a new member to the Californian Blue Jeans family: the Lot.674.
Still refraining from releasing denim in an array of unnecessary washes and factory-distressed options, the Lot.674 comes in its original raw indigo loomstate. Its raison d’être, as part of the MF® Sportsman catalog, is in its classic mid 60’s slim silhouette. With no intent to reinvent the wheel, we combined the pattern of our popular button-fly Lot.64 with the slightly tapered leg of the zip-fly Lot.74. With even lesser of an intent to tap into the competitive market of sprayed-on men’s jeggings, we merely put a 60’s surf movie twist on our classic five-pocket Californian. The Lot 674 is our slimmest jeans silhouette, and is as slim as we’ll go.
Conan O’Brien, not wearing a Mister Freedom® Californian Lot.674.
For its introduction, the Lot.674 pattern gets royal treatment with a special “301 Okinawa” coronation!
An old mfsc favorite, this sturdy 14 Oz. left-hand twill selvedge denim fabric is a blend of 80% cotton and 20% recycled sugar cane fibers, a novel textile exclusive of Toyo Enterprise, originally developed some 25 years ago for their Sugar Cane Co workwear label. This is a new freshly-milled batch we have been waiting for for a while. The “301 Okinawa” is the same ‘hairy’ denim we used on the first project designed for our Sugar Cane Japanese friends and partners, namely the original mfsc 7161 Utility Trousers (2005). That denim was also used on the Vaquero Jeans (Viva la Revolución 2013), the Okinawa Patrol Shirt, Denim Topsiders and Watchman Jacket (Sea Hunt 2014), the Lot.64 Californian “Okinawa” (Sportsman Fall 2014), …
With normal wear and wash cycles, the “301 Okinawa” develops quite an attractive and natural patina. Pictures above feature a mix of several raw/soaked once/slightly worn pairs of Lot.674.
The Californian LOT.674 blue jeans are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional 1950′s-1960’s era blue jeans, traditional fit, slightly tapered leg for a mid-60’s vibe.
FABRIC:
“301 Okinawa”, sturdy 14 Oz. left-hand twill denim, blend of 20% recycled sugar cane fibers and 80% cotton, white/green selvedge ID. Milled in Japan.
Pocket bags: Vintage NOS French workwear fabric, 100% cotton.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket pattern.
* Button fly.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* French NOS fabric pocket bags.
* MF® original white “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Unbranded natural cowhide leather MF® patch on rear pocket.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads (gauge and color combination) used for construction. Main colors are yellow and orange.
* 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.
* Original silver-color ‘oxidized’ MF® metal cast waist/fly buttons.
* Unmarked copper riveting for reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (ivory).
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT
The Californian LOT.674 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/spin dry/line dry/wear briefly when still damp to set creases/line dry until fully dry.
The size that will work for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I wear a slim leg yet comfortable tagged W32 in the Lot.674. The fit pix show a pair of W32, cold-soaked once, worn on/off for about 2 months, with some more shrinkage/stretching down the line.
We recommend getting your usual waist size, although proper fit is a subjective matter and everyone has their own idea of what looks good.
As with all denim twill, 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 = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
CARE:
Wash your jeans when needed. Machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available RAW/unwashed/Un-sanforized
Sizes
W28 x L32
W29 x L32
W30 x L32
W31 x L32
W32 x L34
W33 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L34
W38 x L34
Retail $329.95
Now available from www.misterfreedom.com, and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2017
Manitas De Plata, French Gitan, checking out a Manouche.
Mister Freedom® “Liquette Manouche”, printed cotton poplin.
GYPSY BLUES mfsc collection Spring 2017.
Made in Japan.
For our GYPSY BLUES collection we are releasing two specific mens shirt designs, both with somewhat of a bohemian vibe.
First number up in our string swing venture is the Liquette Manouche, a shirt pattern inspired by a vintage 1930’s-40’s French pull-over garment from the MF® archives, introduced in two color options.
This model features a col requin (shark-fin-shaped open collar, later to be associated with casual 1950’s European sportswear style shirting), a two-button front half placket, shirred back yoke, and classic early EU tailoring arrowhead-shaped side gussets, precursor of the now-common ‘heritage’ workwear design gimmick.
Liquette is old French argot (slang) term simply designating a man’s shirt. A Manouche is a person of Western European Romani ancestry. Belgium-born Django Reinhardt, mastermind of the world-renowned musical style Jazz Manouche in the 1930’s, is one of the most illustrious French Manouche.
The base fabric we opted for is a fancy tightly-woven 100% cotton poplin. With a crisp hand, it features a polka-dot pattern printed with a bleed-through technique. We could not find any better dots than the Polka variety to give our Liquette Manouche its Bohemian vibe.
Polka, with its humble folk origin in early 1830’s Czechoslovakia, might not be a predominant influence for burgeoning artists performing on their Youtube channel today, but it predates Justin Bieber’s impact on popular music, and will likely outlast him. Granted, Polka music is an acquired taste. So is yodeling.
Back on Gypsy style. Along with their 2000-year-old traditions and lifestyle rooted in India, West-bound Romani groups also hauled their indiennes flamboyant garb on the nomadic journey they started in the 14th century.
In popular culture today, close to reality or not, a repeat of small ‘flowery’ motifs often carries that ‘Bohemian’ style vibe.
Anecdotally, authentic India-designed prints could be considered as precursors of the quintessentially-British Liberty London style, as they were originally available from Arthur Liberty’s first retail venture in London (England), a bazar he had appropriately named ‘East India House’ in 1875, specializing in imported Oriental goods. He went on to opt for local production and designs, with great success.
The MF® Liquette Manouche is designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan by Sugar cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Fine 4 Oz. printed 100% cotton poplin, bleed-through technique, in two color options.
Milled and printed in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by 1930’s French shirting and vintage bohemian style.
* Pull-over style, two button placket.
* ‘Col Requin’ style open collar.
* Amber color corrozzo wood buttons.
* Shirred back yoke and cuffs.
* Early-type arrowhead side gussets.
* Contrasting front/back shirt tail.
* Original mfsc Gypsy Blues woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Liquette Manouche comes raw/unwashed.
Follow the usual initial method before wearing: cold soak for 30mn, spin dry and line dry.
This shirt is true-to-size and we recommend getting your normal mfsc size. I often wear a Medium in mfsc shirts and i opted for a comfortable Medium in the Liquette Manouche.
Please refer to chart to figure which size works for you. If still confused, email sales@misterfreedom.com
CARE:
Low maintenance. Machine wash on delicate when needed, cold water, eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
XX-Large
Retail:
Blue poplin or Red poplin: $349.95
Now 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®
©2017
Provence Landscape by Henri-Edmond Cross (1900)
Hi ?
Recommended fashion applications of the versatile MF® Carré Provence.
Mister Freedom® Carré Provence, Indigo Blue & Rouge Turc.
Gypsy Blues mfsc Spring 2017
Made in Japan
Textile printing allegedly originated in India, but i’ll spare you the 4000 years old odyssey.
Paisley designs have their roots in the Persian Empire (modern-day Iran), and made their way West in the 17th century, via textile cargoes of ships from the East India Company. With the popularity of these exotic motifs growing with locals, the city of Marseille, France, pioneered bootlegged renditions, printing cotton “Indiennes” as early as 1640…
For more interesting textile History, visit the Musée de l’impression sur étoffes (Mulhouse, France).
Whether headwear or neckwear, printed colorful scarves are a staple in Romani culture imagery.
We combined several antique French regional scarves to come up with our MF® Carré Provence. The nod to Provence, is in the ‘olive floret’ center repeat, a motif familiar to the connoisseur of traditional textiles from the South of France.
Although our scarf is not a straight-up replica, similar cotton shawls featuring leaves and boteh in bold red and blues were produced by textile printing factories in the Alsace region, France, around 1820’s-30’s. One of the typical color was the famous Rouge Turc or Rouge d’Andrinople (Turkey Red or madder red), which involved a then-challenging and stomach-churning dyeing method. We assumed some of you might object to wrapping their neck in a cloth dyed in a concoction of sheep’s dung and olive oil, so we went for a traditional bleed-through silk-screening method for the printing instead.
Our Carré Provence comes in two color options. The red version is very much Rouge Turc-like, and the blue accents are actual indigo blue. The second version is also actual indigo blue, with Rouge Turc and other vibrant accents.
The carré (pronounced ka-ray, meaning a square shape) features two selvedge sides and two hemmed sides. It measures 34.5 inches x 34.5 inches, much larger than a regular bandana.
With this handsome versatile accessory accompanying our Spring 2017 Gypsy Blues story, we are guaranteeing endless hours of fun. Indeed, explore its boundless fashionable reincarnations with friends, family, and neighbors! Do the Marius, the Django, the Jean Gabin, the Manitas De Plata, the Highway Bandit, the Carmen Miranda, the Lawrence of Arabia, the Tom Mix, the Toothache, the Geronimo, the Fortune Teller, the Calico Jack, the Burka Provençale, the You-Name-It…
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Pierre Fresnay, Marius (1931)
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Jean Gabin (1949)
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Django Reinhardt (1949)
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Carmen Miranda, 1940’s
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From “As Gypsies Wander” (1953) Juliette De Bairacli Levy
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Peter O’Toole (1962)
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Manitas De Plata LP (1968)
The Carré Provence is re-imagined in California by MISTER FREEDOM® and manufactured in Japan by SUGAR CANE Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Printed fine 100% cotton fabric, bleed-through silkscreening, 34.5 inches selvedge to selvedge, milled and printed in Japan.
Two options:
* Indigo Blue.
* Rouge Turc.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by antique French printed scarves from the 1820’s-30’s, and traditional and regional motifs.
* Actual indigo print.
* Two selvedge sides.
* Large format for your headwear or neckwear preference (34.5 inches x 34.5 inches, about 87cm x 87cm).
* Made in Japan.
CARE:
Low maintenance. We recommend initially washing in cold water, delicate cycle, machine or hang dry. Fashion to taste.
Available raw/unwashed.
One size.
Retail $129.95
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®
©2017
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