The “Continental Sportcoat”
Charcoal and Slate grey NOS denim twill
Sportsman Collection Spring 2016

As previously mentioned, we decided to break the Internet this Spring.
Simple. We just added a new three-piece type concept to our Sportsman catalog. It consists of three new garment patterns with a suiting vibe that we exotically called the Mister Freedom® Continental Trousers, Continental Vest, and Continental Sportcoat.
Our intention was less an urge to have Savile Row shopkeepers and bespoke tailors lose sleep over an American invasion than a desire to add an elegant classic touch to our Mister Freedom® Made in USA catalog. So, expect a bit of unpretentious suiting for the Worldly Gentleman á la MF® in the Sportsman collection for the coming seasons…

According to how lucky we are digging up New Old Stock loot, each season will welcome a new member to our Continental family. With the finished garments, the idea will be to mismatch pieces according to one’s personal taste and need for a not-so-formal yet sophisticated wardrobe. The MF® Continental concept should make us insanely rich, and you incredibly handsome, successful, and influential.

Sometime in 2015, we scored a pretty incredible lot of three different slubby cotton-linen crosshatch twills, milled in Italy. Fallen-off Guido’s truck and acquired in exchange for several kidneys from the Mister Freedom® crew, not much is known about these fabric rolls, besides yarn content, weight and Country of Origin. All three would technically qualify as denim twill, typically featuring a dark-colored warp and a natural-colored weft, but the 30 to 40% linen fiber adds an elegant and crispy touch to the grouping. The three colors we will be releasing the Continental series in this season are charcoal grey, slate grey and indigo blue. There will not be full matching sets available for each color, both intentionally and due to limited yardage.

Following the smashing release of the Continental series’ first installment earlier this year, the irresistible Continental Trousers in NOS crosshatch denim, here is its handsome sidekick, the Continental Sportcoat.
Our Sportcoat is an ‘unstructured blazer’, a non-rigid coat without shoulder padding, the Int’l Secret Agent’s best friend while traveling the World busting villains. Roll it in a bundle, stuff it into your Halliburton briefcase, hang it by the shower, close the door… the steam will press it for you. You can then waltz right out of the posada draped like a local, and go get Fantômas…

The pattern of our latest Sportsman garment is derived from a French 1950’s cotton khaki twill work coat, pulled out of an old trunk belonging to a French postal worker (Postes, Telégraphes et Téléphones, aka PTT), a vintage grouping found during a recent trip to Europe. We just figured we’d turn our facteur  into an undercover OSS agent…

We adapted the vintage design to make it a bit more glamorous than Jour de Fêtes, but not going full Thomas Crown either (remember, the Continental is made downtown LA…). We aimed for ‘sporty playboy’ over 9-to-5 clerk, OSS117 over 1957 PTT, Eurospy over salaryman. Yet, we wanted a casual sportswear feel. The result is a jacket somewhat sexier than the vintage originally-conceived functional postman uniform coat, and less high-maintenance than a fancy suit coat.

Although laden with subtle details, our Continental Sportcoat stays pretty discreet and non-pretentious. The casual feel is heightened by the fact that the jacket is washable, always a plus for the on-the-go Int’l Man of Action. Be aware that its cotton-linen fabric will torque and shrink, the stitching will pucker… But we quite like the whole wrinkled “Salaire De La Peur” meets “1000 Dollars au Soleil” atmosphere. This is an acquired taste of course, and some might prefer a freshly pressed ‘clean’ look instead. Do your thing.

The high-button front also adds a somewhat 60’s spy movie vibe, thus this post’s silly photo skit, featuring Mr. Cristian Dascalu’s own villain-busting machine, a mighty 1970 280SE Mercedes.

Overall, our Continental Sportcoat is quite versatile and will adapt to the wearer’s own personal style, according to what it will be paired with. It can be dressed-up with Continental Trousers and vest, dressed-down with blue jeans or chinos, layered with a denim jacket, or not purchased…
The fit is quite relaxed, with darts to cinch the waist and a kind of drop-shoulder pattern for top volume. Because of the rather simple way the sleeves are set (bias tape binding method), a professional tailor should be able to adjust the shoulder area if needed, according to one’s build. Let an actual tailor mess with it, as this is a seemingly easy job, but it does require custom tailoring skills. Setting sleeves is tricky.

The detail-oriented will notice a streamline caballo construction on the inside, with no overlock edges nor open seams, something we at Mister Freedom® find important.
The Continental Sportcoat features a floating half lining, made of natural NOS woven stripe cotton fabric. Along with a concealed chest pocket, patches of lining fabric are used to reinforce the pocket openings, a detail borrowed from the original utilitarian uniform vintage jacket.

We are introducing two twill fabric options for the Spring 2016 issue of the Continental Sportcoat:
A) Charcoal Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill with a probable Italian origin.
B) Slate Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill, also with a probable Italian origin.

The Continental Sportcoat is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:

PATTERNS:
An original mfsc pattern, inspired by cotton work coats and other unstructured blazers, notably a 1950’s French postal uniform jacket.

FABRICS:
A) Charcoal Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill with a probable Italian origin.
B) Slate Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill, also with a probable Italian origin.

Lining: New Old Stock, 100% cotton, natural white with woven blue stripe.

DETAILS:
* Unstructured silhouette.
* Lightweight and soft.
* High button front.
* Corrozo wood butons.
* Half shoulder floating lining.
* Side hip pockets with flaps.
* Pocket openings reinforced on the inside.
* 100% cotton stitching, clean caballo flat-felled seam construction, green color “Sportsman” signature chainstitch on the inside. No open edges or overlock.
* Made in USA.

SIZING/FIT:
This explains how we size our garments.
The Continental Sportcoat comes raw/unwashed.
We recommend the usual initial 30mn cold soak/occasional hand agitation/spin dry/hang dry process. For both fabric options, the tagged size reflects the size of the garment after going through this process. Both fabric options shrink to about the same measurements.
Please note that it is the nature of cotton-Linen blend textiles to wrinkle and stretch back and forth with each laundry/wear cycle. For example, freshly laundered linen garments fit tighter in the morning than at the end of the day. If you prefer a clean, pressed look following the initial soaking process, the jacket can be steamed or professionally pressed.

The Continental Sportcoat is quite broad-shouldered and is not designed to fit like a bespoke Savile Row coat, but rather like a casual ‘unstructured blazer’. I am wearing a Size 38 in both charcoal and slate grey Continental Sportcoat. This is my usual size in mfsc jackets, although I have done a full rinse cycle with the Sportcoat, and used a heat dryer for about five minutes.

Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry. Further shrinkage and creasing will be achieved with full wash cycle (on delicate) and a heat dryer cycle.

CARE:
Hand wash or machine wash unbuttoned on delicate, cold water with minimal environmentally friendly detergent. Line dry.
NOTE: Full washing cycle and machine dry will result in maximum shrinkage, to be experimented with care and at owner’s risk.

Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)

Retail $ 329.95

Available from www.misterfreedom.com, fine retailers around the World, and our Los Angeles ol’ pile o’ rags.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2016