 
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 [email protected]
 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2017
 Young Gypsy (photo Lucien Clergue, 1959), courtesy Atelier Lucien Clergue ©1959  Cristóbal De La Marina Del Rey, with duende ©1966 
 Caravans (Vincent Van Gogh, 1888) 
Gilet Gadjo, indigo cotton/linen HBT & cotton covert stripe.
“Gypsy Blues” mfsc collection Spring 2017
Made in Japan
The Romani term “gadjo” refers to folks of non-Romani origin. It is today quite a common colloquialism in Southern France, and is used to designate a male individual (as in ‘guy’ or ‘dude’).
“Vise-moi un peu le gadjo!” (Check out that dude!).
Chances are you could hear that one a few times, should you find yourself around the Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on May 24th, walking around town sporting Mister Freedom®’s latest.
The pattern of the MF® GYPSY BLUES Gilet Gadjo is inspired by 1910’s-1930’s French Gentlemen’ waistcoats. The shawl lapel, fine sateen back, cinch back strap and fancy lining make for an elegant addition to the discerning gadjo‘s closet. We took the dandy vibe a notch down by donning our gilet a set of donut-shape metal buttons as front closure, hardware parts usually reserved for vintage workwear-type garments.
The two fabric options were introduced with the release of our Veste Belleville. 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.
Familiar to the EU vintage clothing aficionado, French waistcoats from the 1920’s-30’s typically feature a stern shell (often black wool serge) and an unusual inner lining (fancy printed fabric probably left-over from a custom shirting project). It is not uncommon to come across such tailor-made vintage specimen with a formal appearance and a flamboyant inner lining.
Digging through the archives, we found limited NOS yardages of forgotten textile goodness from past mfsc collections, and decided to use that as linings on this project. Both indigo discharge calicoes are from our MEN of THE FRONTIER days, namely the Apache and Pueblo Trade Shirt.
But, for heaven’ snakes, what do American cowboys have to do with French gypsies you axe me?..
The relevance would be Old-West-obsessed Folco de Baroncelli and the Gardians of Camargue, aka ze French cowboyz. The famed horsemen of the delta of the Rhone, Southern France, typically wear shirts with traditional calico-type motifs from Provence. Camargue’s most iconic commune is Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer, pilgrimage destination for Gypsies from the four corners of Europe.
Voila the common thread.
The Gilet Gadjo is designed in California by MISTER FREEDOM® and manufactured in Japan by SUGAR CANE Co.
Credits: Lucien Clergue‘s 1959 photograph courtesy of Lucien Clergue Atelier.
SPECS:
FABRICS:
Option A
* Front panels: 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 some garment 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.
* Back panel: 100% cotton sateen back, lined with indigo discharge print poplin, mfsc “Pueblo” calico. Solid indigo-dyed fine cotton poplin front panel lining.
Option B
* Front panels: A lighter 9 Oz. covert woven stripe 100% cotton fabric, milled in Japan.
* Back panel: 100% cotton sateen back, lined with indigo discharge print poplin, mfsc “Apache” calico. Solid indigo-dyed fine cotton poplin front panel lining.
DETAILS:
* Original mfsc pattern inspired by 1910’s-30’s European tailor-made fancy waistcoats.
* Elegant and traditional silhouette, to match higher-waisted trousers or blue jeans.
* Shawl lapel.
* Chest darts and early waistcoat gussets and paneling.
* Fancy indigo discharge-print calico poplin lining.
* Sateen back, oxidized black color.
* Cinch back strap, with vintage-style metal prong buckle.
* Three welt pockets.
* Utilitarian unmarked ‘donut’ metal buttons (copper for the indigo, brass for the covert)
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Both fabric options come raw/unwashed.
We recommend the usual method, initial cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
I opted to size down on both the indigo HBT and the grey covert. I usually wear 38 (Medium) in mfsc jackets, but went with a 36 (small) with the Gilet Gadjo, for an old school fit and high-waisted silhouette. The fit photos shows both sizes/fits, 36 and 38.
Please refer to chart to figure which size works for you. If still confused, email [email protected]
 
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.
DISCLAIMER: Use caution when laundering, as the metal buckle of the cinch strap has sharp prongs that could get snagged and damage this (or other) garment(s).
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
36 Small
38 Medium
40 Large
42 X-Large
44 XX-Large
Retail:
Indigo HBT: $399.95
Covert Stripe: $379.95
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®
©2017
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