Mister Freedom ® Sportsman Slacks, HBT cotton-linen.
“The Sportsman” Fall 2015, made in USA.

A bit challenging to take this show back on the road in the wake of the recent events in Paris… Times like these put things in perspective a bit, rendering any kind of fashion-related discussions perfectly incongruous for me. Those feeling unconcerned due to geographical distances or pressing fabric shrinkage concerns might want to fast-forward to the fascinating washing instructions and sizing chart below.
Personally, i’ll pause for a second and throw down a few random thoughts instead of a sales pitch.

Dumbfounded by what happened, I have been trying to wrap my head around that tragedy by clinging on to live debates and analysis on Radio France and other sources, almost non-stop since hearing the news on Friday. If the average French citizen was utterly stunned by the unexpected suicide attacks on their capital city, well-informed criminology experts such as Alain Bauer sounded well aware that a blow from ISIS was not a matter of if but when and where.

Although the DGSI, France’s counter-terrorism agency, has been stealthily working overtime to avoid havoc in the homeland, discreetly thwarting about 90% of the attacks according to some sources, French authorities agree that zero-risk is an illusion in a democracy. Totalitarian regimes have the recourse of chopping-off every single head sticking out in opposition, temporarily guaranteeing an illusion of order. But France has moved on from the Dark Ages a while back, and is more likely to be remembered by distant future generations for its cultural legacy, lessons in art de vivre or contributions to the world of Arts and Letters. The French, having stormed La Bastille (the King’s state prison) in 1789, are not ready for Guantanameaux-Les-Bains, and are too attached to their privacy to comply with modern surveillance. They like their freedom, bequeathed to them by ancestors who fought and died for it. They drink, eat, smoke, complain, talk, vote, drive, swear, fuck, protest, create, sin, mock and basically behave with the apparently unrestrained freedom that only a very old democracy is comfortable seeing its citizens enjoy.

In retaliation for the Charlie Hebdo events in January, and in accordance with an international coalition that includes the United States, the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) was instructed to pay an aerial visit to known terrorists-training camps in Syria. By late September, the first French bombs were dropped. It might not have been evident to French nationals at the time, but a country that bombs another, is officially at war with it. Granted ISIS is not an actual country, but land sprawling through Iraq and Syria claimed by islamist degenerates via a religious scam, a venture mainly funded by revenues from the local multi-million-dollar oil trade. Some of that profitable business is conducted with the local official tyrant, Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad, ISIS’s sworn enemy… Get it? Don’t worry about it, it’s far.
In the past 4 years, this insanity has scattered over 4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, and beyond. The ranks of fleeing legit migrants have been said to also be infected by terrorist cells at times, delighted to be welcomed with open arms by faraway European nations with a penchant for the Droits De l’homme.

If one can only stare at that soup sandwich with perplexity, being aware of some of its ingredients might be a clue that sending troops won’t change much on the ground. As precisely-targeted as technology allows airstrikes to be, and as legitimate as the emotional urge for revenge triggered by the horror of the provocation may feel, the solution probably resides in geopolitical maneuvers rather than in talion-like military ops. Dropping another twenty bombs on Raqqa, ISIS stronghold with its inevitable city dwellers, sounds like a good plan for turning pissed-off locals into jihadist recruits.

Which brings me to the point that, given the opportunity, educating oneself is not only a must but a civic duty. A bit of reading has never hurt anyone at the voting booth. Foreign policies do have an impact at home. The famous motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, originally followed by “ou la mort” -or death-, inherited from the French Revolution, is still today an inspiration for many around the world.
Acquiring and sharing knowledge appears to be a universally reliable way to not lose the big race against stupidity, constantly exemplified by what humans do to others humans, and the environment.

Philanthropy has never been my strength, and I must confess of my tolerance for ignorance shrinking everyday. As connected miniature personal computers rapidly become the norm in modern societies, granting us access to an endless and invaluable wealth of knowledge, professional expertise, enlighten analysis, modern exegesis and intelligent reflections, I think that one has less of an excuse for being a plank in the 21st Century than, say, during the days of medieval Crusades.

Social media platforms are great knowledge-spreading tools, free and accessible to many, albeit mostly wasted on boring trivialities and cat videos. For those frustrated with the pathetic kitchen sink quality of their newsfeed, words and images, one easy trick does wonders. Harsh but tried and true. Unfollow acquaintances! Replace the flow of numbing brain pollution by meaningful content from various reliable sources of your choice. Historical facts, scientific vulgarization, travel logs, research updates, space exploration, world news, archeological discoveries, philosophical debates, societal discussions… all have the advantage of leaving one better equipped to hopefully make intelligent decisions in life.
You might not get a visual on Bruce’s awesome cappuccino on time anymore, but a bit of awareness about the world out there should help ease the void. Bruce and you will still be friends, but acknowledging no one cares about relentless Youtube recommendations, poorly-lit food photography and other navel-gazing considerations, he might reciprocate and unfollow, thereby saving precious bandwidth and brain cells for worthy material. Everyone wins. Less idiots, less keyboard cowboys anonymously voicing uneducated opinions publicly, less music video comments to sift through to reach a spark of relevance, and, i’m stretching here, maybe less desperate acts of frustration with horrific consequences in the physical world.

On November 13, 2015, a handful of ignorant brain-washed cretins on a fool’s errand cowardly mowed down and blasted un-armed civilians enjoying an evening of live music in a Parisian concert hall, and others peacefully celebrating the good life amongst friends at a terrace… One of the 130 victims might have lived on to discover a cure for cancer, a formula for the water-fueled engine, or written the prettiest music in the world, that people listen to when they’re sad… but I guess we’ll have to wait on that. Thanks, assholes.

I’m no militant, no activist and no altruist either, pay no mind to conspiracy-theory nut jobs, don’t like being lectured, and admit being turned-off when faced with constant preaching, whatever the charity. But eradicating obscurantism is a good cause, and it starts right at home.
There are times when pulling your head out of the sand to gasp for air is urgent.

CL

With that out of the way, the Sportsman Slacks are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:

PATTERN:
Revisited MF® Vaquero denim jeans style from our !Viva La Revolución! 2013 collection.
An original pattern inspired by early European trousers and work dungarees.

FABRIC:
Same fabric used for the Faro britches, waistcoat and sack coat.
“Gun Powder” black (between field grey and dark laurel green), wide HBT (herringbone twill), selvedge, 20% Cotton/80% Linen blend, 15 Oz. Woven in Japan.

Pocketing and waist Lining: Same fabric used for recently-released Sportsman Appaloosa shirt, New Old Stock HBT denim, 100% cotton herringbone twill denim, subtle vertical stripe design, origin USA.

DETAILS:
* Vintage trousers-type construction.
* “Cowboy” front pocket opening
* Early type ‘donut’ metal waist button, brown corozo wood fly buttons.
* Back welt pockets.
* Side cinch straps, with NOS vintage French metal buckles.
* Selvedge leg side seam.
* Long inseam, overlocked bottom hem, for your cuffing preference (hemmed, double hemmed, rolled…)
* Turn-of-the-century style flared waistband (narrower in back)
* Slim belt loops (trousers style)
* All cotton thread tonal stitching

SIZING/FIT:
The Sportsman Slacks come unwashed/raw. We recommend an original 20-30mn cold soak and line dry.
These fit true-to-size and are tagged to reflect measurements after that initial process (about 2-5% shrinkage to be expected). If you are usually a 32 waist, get a tagged 32. The fit is comfortable yet quite flattering.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.

CARE:
Subsequent cleaning should be done with the trousers flipped inside/out (to avoid marbling), gentle cycle, cold water, with minimal environmentally friendly detergent and line dry. Natural fading of this fabric is to be expected with normal repeat wash/wear cycles.
NOTE: Full washing cycle in hot water and machine dry WILL result in maximum shrinkage and noticeable color loss. NOT recommended.

Available Raw/unwashed
Sizes (W stands for Waist)
W 28
W 29
W 30
W 31
W 32
W 33
W 34
W 36
W 38
Retail $309.95

Available from www.misterfreedom.com, and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom® 2015