Impromptu full on ‘tourists at the dude ranch’ photo session in Yucca Valley, a few hours from LA, from a couple of weeks ago. Couldn’t help snapping a few, the scenery was very pretty and inspiring.
I ♥ America.
Warm thanks again to Clea and Mary Ann for the hospitality and friendship, and to Tina for sporting my dirty jacket 😉
In the photos, the Ranch Blouse , Calico Trade Shirt and Speedway Piqué Jeans.
Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane MFSC Spring 2012 “Men of the Frontier“: Prairie Shirt, cotton denim & Calico.
Here is the latest addition to our Men of the Frontier spring 2012 collection: The PRAIRIE SHIRT, in two different fabric options, selvedge denim and calico printed broadcloth.
Inspired by 1930’s American shirting and mixing several elements of vintage samples from our archives, here is another versatile shirt for discerning gents. This is our first new “white back denim” shirt since our sought after Liberty Issue CPO from a few seasons back, that will ring a bell with the ol’ timers.
The madder calico version taps into our yen for early American printed shirting fabrics. Our little homemade Calico scrapbook was again pretty handy…
For the shirt pattern, we incorporated detailing from early western shirts and gentleman wear, again trying to stay clear from clichés and reproductions.
Now we here just make the clothes, it’s up to you to make ‘em look good. Like the Man said: “Let them see you, and not the suit”
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC pattern, inspired by 1930’s American shirting. The fit is similar to our “Apache” Chemise Calico, a bit roomier because of the back expansion gusset and shearing.
FABRIC: The Prairie shirt comes in two very different fabric options, both milled in Japan for MFSC.
a) Light weight selvedge dark indigo denim, 7.5 Oz.
b) All cotton broadcloth selvedge fabric, 4.5 Oz., printed with a tiny calico turn of the Century inspired pattern, madder red on natural. The reverse of the fabric appears ‘white’ because of the limited ‘bleed through’ effect of the specific intricate printing process.
DETAILS:
* Collar band facing with indigo dyed popeline.
* Front closure with metal Diamond type DOT snaps.
* Collar, cuffs and pocket closures with original 1920’s New Old Stock ox bone buttons.
* Original MFSC chest flap single pocket
* European type selvedge side gussets.
* Rounded back tail and front overlapping panels.
* Original MFSC woven label on lower tucked-in front panel. The rayon label is stamped with the size.
* Original middle back panel expansion gusset.
* White cotton popeline button placket facing.
* Back panel and cuff shearing.
* 100% cotton tonal stitching, high count.
* Flat felled seam construction.
PACKAGING: For the USA, the PRAIRIE SHIRT comes in an old school cardboard box with original MF® artwork. This sturdy box is not the collapsible cheapo kind, and can be used for storage of small items. Please re-use.
SHRINKAGE/SIZING:
The shirt comes UNWASHED, the material is raw, so shrinkage is expected.
The measurements in the sizing chart below are done before and after a cold soak and line dry, resulting in very minimal shrinkage.
Calico: The calico option can be washed on delicate and machine dried and is pretty much “low maintenance”.
Denim: For those of you who value the appearance, goodness and wholesome appeal of RAW denim (ie. denim NOT chemically processed by a highly polluting distressing industrial wash factory, as most denim Industry companies offer to the un-savvy consumer. But you didn’t hear this from me…), we recommend a home cold soak and line dry. You won’t get full shrinkage at first, but wearing the shirt this way in the early stage (with the starch still in the fabric) will overtime guarantee a fade and patina similar to an old WW2 USN barrack bag…
As always, we do not recommend HOT soaking, as this alters the dark denim color.
DISCLAIMER: Because of the nature of the dark indigo denim, bleeding is expected. You will get some (washable) color rubbing when the shirt is paired with a white undershirt. The bleeding stops overtime after normal wear/wash. Please use minimal mild AND environment friendly detergent.
Designed in California by Mister Freedom® and crafted in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
Limited edition.
Available RAW/Unwashed
Sizes:
13 ½ (X-Small)
14 ½ (Small)
15 ½ (Medium)
16 ½ (Large)
17 ½ (X-Large)
18 ½ (XX-Large)
Retail: $ 359.95
Call John or Jordan at (323) 653-2014 or mail john@misterfreedom.com or jordan@misterfreedom.com to get yours while they last. We ship almost everywhere internationally.
Gracias for your support, Amigos.
Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane MFSC Spring 2012 “Men of the Frontier“: Britches Chaparral, Brown and Indigo Cotton/linen canvas.
Movin’ on, friends…
Here is our fifth installment of our “Men of the Frontier” journey, the cotton-linen canvas “BRITCHES CHAPARRAL”.
Again, borrowing from both the American West and the Old World, we have combined European influenced fabrics with 30’s-40’s slacks and “chino” American style trousers.
The fabric options are the same than our “Chaparral Blouse”: two Cotton-Linen plain weave selvedge canvases, Indigo dyed and “cachou” brown.
A quite ‘simple’ trousers pattern for those britches, but loaded with small details, and made with fabrics that will wear very nicely and develop interesting character and patina.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC pattern, inspired by 1930’s-1940’s work type trousers and cotton slacks. Mid/high rise.
FABRIC: The Chaparral Britches come in two very different fabric options (not two colors of the same fabric.)
Exclusively milled for us in Japan, in limited batches, both options are inspired by rare turn of the century French workwear textiles from our archives.
a) MFSC Brown Canvas: A blend of 80% linen and 20% cotton selvedge canvas, 12.5 Oz., in a “cachou“/ brown Duck color.
b) MFSC Indigo Canvas: A blend of 60% linen and 40% cotton selvedge canvas, 8 Oz., Indigo dyed.
DETAILS:
* Selvedge outer leg seam.
* Slash type front pockets, with inner selvedge angled stitched fold.
* Gun metal color donut button fly with double button waist.
* Two slash rear pockets, with arrowhead type button flaps.
* Watch/coin pocket
* Trousers type pocket bag construction and lining, with 100% cotton tight weave sateen fabric, beige color.
* 100% cotton tonal stitching
* Flat felled seam seat construction.
PACKAGING: For the USA, the BRITCHES CHAPARRAL come in an old school cardboard box with original MF® artwork. This sturdy box is not the collapsible cheapo kind, and can be used for storage of small items. Please re-use.
SHRINKAGE/SIZING:
The britches come UNWASHED, the material is raw, so shrinkage is expected. With an initial cold soak and line dry, both fabrics will shrink differently, but will reach TAGGED size down the line. Note that cotton-linen textiles shrink and stretch yoyo style with wear and wash.
An additional 1.5 inch can be let out from the bottom cuff if needed (single stitch machine.)
Note on fit: You’ll notice a different fit and silhouette with the two options on the photos. I am around a waist 31 usually, and had to go with a tagged waist 32 with both the Indigo and Brown britches. My brown pair has been cold washed (inside out to avoid marbling), line dried. I also tapered the leg by taking in the outer leg seam by about 1.5cm. My Indigo pair was just cold rinsed, line dried, no alteration, and still has some shrinkage due. Because I do not want to mess with the rich and deep Indigo color, I’ll wear them this way for a while. I don’t mind a bit looser fit for the summer with those. Rolled up with espadrilles should do the trick for our California weather…
See chart below for approximate measurements of raw vs. cold soaked/line dried. (we didn’t ‘pull’ on the fabric for measurements, and because the Indigo cotton/linen wrinkles more, there are slight differences). Due to very limited stock we couldn’t rinse/test all sizes/options.
DISCLAIMER: Because of the nature of the indigo dye, bleeding is expected with the INDIGO canvas option BRITCHES CHAPARRAL. You WILL get some color rubbing if you wear a light color shirt tucked in. The bleeding stops overtime after normal wear/wash. Please use minimal mild AND environment friendly detergent.
Designed in California by Mister Freedom® and crafted in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
Limited edition.
Available RAW/Unwashed
Tagged Sizes (= will shrink to sizes):
W28 × L33
W30 × L33
W32 × L33
W34 × L33
W36 × L34
W38 × L34
RETAIL: $549.95
Call John or Jordan at (323) 653-2014 or mail john@misterfreedom.com or jordan@misterfreedom.com to get yours while they last. We ship ALMOST everywhere internationally. We thank you for your support.
As of March 22nd, 2012, and due to the deeds of three low-life SCUMBAGS from the city of Bandung, West Java, INDONESIA, we are no longer accepting orders or shipping to INDONESIA.
If you currently live in Indonesia and are buying Mister Freedom® merchandise locally, from dealers or ‘friends’, you are buying STOLEN goods, acquired illegally with STOLEN credit cards.
The stolen goods include large quantities of MF® Californian Blue Jeans, NOS MF® Chambray shirts, MF® Palladenim boots, MF® denim Ranch blouses… and more.
Here are the names and addresses of those three jerk-offs (to the best of our knowledge, as per the actual shipping infos):
* Esa Nugraha esa_nugraha@cbgb.net
jl. Sukamenak gg. Asep Hidayat No17 Sayati
Bandung, Jawa Barat 40227
INDONESIA
Phone: 022-91309180
* Yeni Apriliani apriliani@gmx.com
jl. Cibolerang gg. Taruna 2 No7
Bandung, Jawa Barat 40225
INDONESIA
Phone: 0812127877671
* Ricky Rinaldi adiva_muska@aol.com
jl. Taman Klaten No4 Antapani
Bandung, Jawa Barat 40291
INDONESIA
Phone: 92545023
If any descent local Bandung folks have any useful pertinent information, please email christophe@misterfreedom.com
If anyone would care to go break some legs before we get to them, don’t hold back.
These morons don’t know what they just got into… really
Thank you for your attention and cooperation.
The rest of the World can have a nice day.
Christophe Loiron, MISTER FREEDOM®
UPDATES, March 23rd, 2012:
* Many thanks for the virtual help and support from kind Indonesian folks with this issue. We received valuable information. We appreciate your concern with this damaging but saddly not uncommon matter.
* However, ZERO gratitude yet to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles for the lack of help and the “call back on Monday“… One package has not yet been delivered and if his Excellency the General Consul Hadi Martono and his fine team would really care to change things regarding the popular local sport of “carding” in Bandung, they would make it a priority to ACT in a timely manner.
I am aware of, and respect, the Indonesian celebration of Nyepi, “Day of Silence”. With our luck it falls today, and every March 23rd.
Looking forward to Monday, March 26th, as RES NON VERBA day.
UPDATES, March 31st 2012:
Many thanks to all for the concern, support and ACTIONS.
Any information about the character on the photos below, who lives in Bandung, will be greatly appreciated. He ‘masked’ his own photos, but should still be recognizable.
DUE TO MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PHOTOS BELOW HAVE BEEN REMOVED as of April 03, 2012
UPDATES, April 2nd, 2012:
We have tracked down the location of one of the individual reselling the stolen merchandise in Bandung. This sellers appears to be “second hand” and not the original “carding” thieve. But the “carding” scam only exists because it finds buyers. Because of the “discounted” prices, ALL buyers are aware that the goods are stolen.
Here is the location (A) in Bandung of one of several re-sellers of the stolen MF® merchandise:
DUE TO MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ADDRESS BELOW HAS BEEN REMOVED as of April 03, 2012
The hunt is still ON. We are making progress, to be disclosed soon.
Thank you for the support.
UPDATES, April 5th, 2012:
Any information/leads on a character going by the name of ANDRI who sells stolen goods in the city of Bandung would be greatly appreciated.
He has been seen hanging out at a coffee shop in the Jalan Boscha No.6 neighborhood.
We have a local phone number for him +6222 – 93109180 but it now seems to be de-activated.
Any local folk who who could do a reverse look-up for that number?
Thank you in kindly in advance.
UPDATES, April 13th, 2012:
After unsuccessful attempts to hear from the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Los Angeles , we finally got their attention via our twitter account @_MisterFreedom_
Someone was kind enough to hear us out and follow through, as documents the unedited twitter conversation below. Perseverance…
We are grateful to all Embassy personnel involved and concerned by our case and are waiting for feedback and follow-ups.
UPDATES, April 7th 2012:
Another turn of events. Another crook trying to get money in exchange of information about the Bandung ‘carders’. See below photo for the full conversation via FaceBook that happened that day. I thought of capturing screen shoot as it was unfolding, knowing it was all going to get deleted soon by that crook.
That FaceBook account seems to be that of a fine local Indonesian resident called “Brodit Dudedi”. Classy photos. That account might have been hacked by her pimp.
Of course, Email sent were never answered. Warm thanks to that local for the support. Moving on.
Btw, even my friends do not get to call me bro.
Christophe Loiron
UPDATES, April 20th, 2012:
To all merchants around the world: Before you ship, all you need to know about “carding” and Bandung in this excellent insightful article/investigation by journalist Jason Tedjasukmana for TIME MAGAZINE WORLD .
The piece is from 2002, but nothing much seems to have changed since.
Read it if you like con men stories.
Spread it to prevent others from falling for it.
Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane MFSC Spring 2012 “Men of the Frontier“: Gunslinger Denim Pantaloons, Indigo twill & Desert twill.
Here is our fourth installment of the “Men of the Frontier” journey, the denim “GUNSLINGER PANTALOONS”.
Borrowing from both the American West and the Old World, we have mixed European gentlemen’ trousers detailing with early workwear construction and fabrics.
The inspiration for those jeans came in part from this 1904 photo. This saloon scene showcases several interesting trousers styles worn by ranch hands at the turn of the Century. One of the cowboys (second from right) seems to be wearing denim, according to the cuffs showing the contrasting reverse of the fabric. A closer zoom reveals an obscure European trousers pattern, not a ‘classic’ five pocket type pants.
So we went with our own original trousers pattern, staying away from the more obvious Lee/Levi’s/Wrangler type work jeans back yoke piecing/pocketing. (As once mentioned in front of a Denim Industry audience, the genius iconic “501” must be the most actively milked cow in the jeans making racket… not a crowd pleasing statement.)
We had two different denim twill exclusively woven in Japan for this collection, both inspired by vintage swatches from our archives. One indigo denim with indigo back, and one white back unbleached natural denim. Both were milled in limited quantities, not the easiest nor cheapest stage of the making of those jeans.
Those jeans are also Made in Califonia, US of A 😉
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC pattern, inspired by both the New and the Old World. European type trousers tailoring mixed with work wear construction.
FABRIC: The Gunslinger Pantaloons come in two very different fabric options (not two colors of the same fabric.)
Exclusively milled for us in Japan, in limited batches.
a) MFSC Indigo denim twill: Dark Indigo warp x dark Indigo weft, 100% selvedge Cotton, 12.4 Oz., Solid white selvedge ID. A very rich dark indigo color, with purple hues, in and out.
b) MFSC Desert denim twill: Natural warp x White weft, 100% selvedge Cotton, 12.8 Oz., Solid white selvedge ID. This is not your typical off white twill. This fabric has a lot of texture, character, ring and slub.
DETAILS:
* Higher type rise, early work pants type silhouette.
* Selvedge outer seam.
* 100% cotton natural color sail cloth pocket bags and seat lining.
* Gun metal color donut button fly. Double button waist band closure and inner waist tab.
* Cinch back strap and selvedge gusset. NOS metal sharp prong buckle (we have sadly run out of our stock of these, so this is one of the last time we use them for production)
* Five wide belt loops, unbalanced positioning.
* Original pattern single back pocket. The pocket ‘bell shape’ and specific selvedge construction allows storage for larger items.
* Flat felled inseam and seat construction.
* Copper riveted back pocket and back strap.
* 100% cotton tonal stitching.
PACKAGING: For the USA, the GUNSLINGER’S come in an old school cardboard box with original MF artwork. This sturdy box can be used for storage of small items, please re-use.
SHRINKAGE/SIZING:
Both denim options come RAW (un-washed). Both fabrics are un-sanforized and will shrink down to the same fit after several wash/soak/dry cycles.
The Desert denim (natural) shrinks ‘faster’ than the Indigo denim. I recommend doing an original cold soak and hung dry. See how it fits and take it from there. With rinsing/wearing, the fabrics will shrink/stretch back and forth for a while and settle eventually.
Because of the back gusset, the waist can expand 1 ¾ inch when the back strap is not cinched, quite useful around Turkey Day. The measurements on the chart below are done with the gusset opened, with more shrinkage to come.
I am about a true 31 waist, and wear a waist 30 in those. I have only done an original cold soak/no agitation/line dry with both pair, so there is some more shrinkage to come. The indigo pair looks a bit wider than the natural pair, but I’ll wait until a wash is really needed.
Do not just wash your indigo gunslinger’s in hope of fading them faster, wear them instead.
Click on chart below for measurements of the INDIGO Gunslinger’s (the measurements are similar for the Desert version):
DISCLAIMER: Because of the nature of the double indigo dyed yarn, bleeding is expected with the INDIGO denim twill, on BOTH sides of the fabric. You WILL get some color rubbing on other garments and body, legs and Tony Montana type sofas alike. The bleeding stops overtime after normal wear/wash, and overtime, your gunslinger’s will get an amazing patina inside AND out.
Garment designed and manufactured in California, USA by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co (MFSC). Limited Edition
Available RAW/Unwashed
Sizes:
Waist 28 x L36
Waist 30 x L36
Waist 32 x L36
Waist 34 x L36
Waist 36 x L36
Waist 38 x L36
Retail $379.95
Available from www.misterfreedom.com and from our brick & mortar store. Mail sales@misterfreedom.com with questions not answered above. We ship internationally.
Much obliged for your support.
Recommended reading and viewing:
* “The West“, a 1996 Stephen Ives/Ken Burns documentary
* “Jeans of the Old West” by Michael Harris
* “Saloons, Bars and Cigar Stores” by Roger E Kinslingbury
* DenimBro denim workwear research interactive forum
|
