 Working on brand image. Glamour is key. 
 Sportsman Chinos, 2013 issue
The SPORTSMAN CHINOS
Beach Chino twill and Indigo Métisse Twill
Sportsman Collection Spring 2014
Introduced during Spring 2013 and part of the Sportsman catalog, the Sportsman chinos are Mister Freedom® take on a beloved American classic, made in USA for the occasion.
The buckle back and relaxed fit gives them somewhat of a 1950’s vibe, in a traditional work-meets-casual trouser style.
This simple design, spiced up with some MF® signature details, is now being released in two new fabrics, both loomed in Japan.
This season’s selvedge chino twill version is similar to the 2013 release, but in a lighter ‘sand’ khaki color. We called it “Beach”, because “Sleepy Bora Bora lagoon at dawn” was too long and probably taken. Additionally, it makes us sound like a lifestyle brand, I like that.
Below are photos of my Chinos (2013 release), after some normal wear/wash process.
The indigo twill version brings us back to our “Les Apaches” days with the cotton/linen métisse fabric introduced with the veste ouvrier, paletot, chemise hirondelle, and gilet.
After normal wash & wear, the patina on this fabric is pretty amazing. There are some beautiful worn examples out there, as I’ve been able to witness on several occasions.
It appears friend and early-days supporter Tyler Madden from Self Edge Portland submitted his veste ouvrier to some rough work schedule. Well done Sir.
Tyler’s jacket’ patina did not come out of a Turkish or Bangladeshi washhouse.
 Tyler’s “veste ouvrier” from 2011 Note on industrial washing:
Chip Bergh, Levi’s CEO since 2011, announced recently that he had not washed his jeans for a year.
Cool.
Besides the horror this created in the common First-World household and the points gained with the Denimhead community, I thought his position quite interesting. Mr. Bergh wants to save the planet one laundry load at a time. Good man, thanks Chip. Indeed, it is clear that we, consumers, and our darn hyper-active washing machines, are challenging the Blue Planet’s water supply.
Quite amusing of a public statement for a company whose net income ($229 million in 2013) has been mostly generated by selling and promoting stonewashed jeans.
So, yes. You go Water<Less™ in Turkey, and I won’t forget to do my part at home, ie. “pick one day of the week to go shower-less“.
Problem solved.
Pheew.
 If it’s good enough for the President… After this diversion, dare I mention that because our indigo métisse is a frayed-edge type fabric, the side seam is of the flat-felled chainstitched construction type, while the chino twill side seam display the twill selvedge.
The Sportsman Chinos are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co., from fabric loomed in Japan.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC, inspired by vintage cotton twill work pants.
FABRIC Options:
a) Beach Chino Twill: Raw 100% cotton selvedge ‘Chino’ twill, ‘sand’ color, milled in Japan on shuttle looms.
b) Indigo Métisse Twill: 9.7 oz. indigo dyed twill blend, 70% cotton and 30% linen, un-sanforized. The yarn core is white, the indigo outer has a purple blue shade typical of early French indigo work clothes. Fades, bleeds and reacts to sun light…
DETAILS:
* Relaxed 1950’s type silhouette and fit.
* Natural corozo wood fly and waist buttons.
* Selvedge leg side seams for the chino twill, flat-felled seam for the indigo twill version.
* Welt back pockets.
* Original combo belt loops, wide & narrow.
* The ever attractive-sounding ‘crotch gusset’.
* Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckles.
* New Old Stock blue/white stripe 100% cotton twill pocket bags.
* Natural 100% cotton sailcloth waist band and fly facing.
* Watch pocket.
* 100% cotton thread construction, flat felled seams, with inside green chainstich signature.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on back waistback, concealed when wearing a belt.
* ‘Open’ overlocked leg bottom, to suit your cuffing preferences.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/WASHING:
The ‘Sportsman Chinos’ are sold RAW (unwashed) and will shrink to tagged size. Both fabric will shrink to approximately the same measurements. The waist sizing is pretty ‘generous’, but still get a 32 if that is your usual size.
The bottom are left open to your cuffing preference. I opted for a 1½ inch fold, regular single needle machine stitch.
a) Chino Twill: This fabric is pretty low maintenance. Original cold soak and line dry. Further washing when needed, on gentle cycle, warm/cold water, line dry. The original sheen of the fabric will dull out with wear and wash.
b) Indigo métisse Twill: We recommend an original cold soak, spin dry, line dry. Color croaking is to be expected. This indigo option is very sun sensitive. When dirty and according to your activities, hand-wash inside out with mild detergent and line dry.
As common sense dictates, riding horses for a living or clerking at the DMV will affect time between laundries.
Refer to charts below for raw/rinsed/line dried measurements:
 
Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES: 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38
RETAIL
a) Beach Chino Twill: $289.95
b) Indigo Métisse Twill: $329.95
Available on www.misterfreedom.com
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
By the way, nothing personal Chip, I am sure you are sincere in longing for a cleaner Planet. Maybe some Tide™ would help.
Ooh, if you see Bart, kindly mention his tab. No, not the red one, he’ll know. Thanks.
Yours Truly,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
 
 First soak instructions
 Photo ©1963 Bob Bagley – Bruce Brown Films, Endless Summer
N.O.S. Board Shorts
Mister Freedom® “Sportsman” Collection
Spring 2014
Having never set foot on a surf board, I feel quite qualified to announce the addition of the “NOS Board Shorts” to our “Sportsman” catalog. Can’t go more legit than that.
I did climb on something remotely associated with the sport of surfing a while back however. A baobab. With an engine, that thing would have been called a ferry. I heard one could stand on it with a 0.2 BAC.
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The big waves of Molokai , 90’s
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Action shot 1
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Action shot 2
So ok, ok. C don’t surf.
But I swear I’ve watched “The Endless Summer”.
Cowabunga, dude.
Anyways, these Mister Freedom® board shorts are based on a few classic pairs of late 60’s~70’s trunks (Hang Ten etc…)
We added a fancy wax pocket, to holster your iPhone comes clambake time. Or your passport, for the elegant few who roam airports in tank-tops, shorts and flip-flops. The concealed rear pocket will basically be a receptacle for sand, which is great if you’re a collector.
There are a few options available, all made with New Old Stock fabrics.
a) NOS 100% cotton blue/white stripe twill, selvedge, about 6 Oz. (same fabric as our Rodeo Ranch Blouse, and the Musette Biribi), featuring olive green stitching.
b) NOS 100% cotton twill, Indigo warp x Indigo weft, about 12 Oz. with a NOS selvedge denim waistband and pocket, featuring orange stitching.
c) A surprise “Aldo Maccione” model, to be released later…
Please note that cotton fabric was dropped by swimwear companies some time ago, as cotton dries very slowly. I get it, but it worked for generations of swimmers, and sometimes it’s one for the money and two for the show.
 Micky Moore & Elvis, 1966 I was really looking forward to posting fit pix. But everyone in upper management has pleaded me not to. Not sure why.
Whatever.
The Board Shorts are (kinda) designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS
FABRIC OPTIONS:
a) NOS 100% cotton blue/white stripe twill, selvedge, about 6 Oz., olive green stitching.
b) NOS 100% cotton Indigo twill (Indigo warp x Indigo weft), about 12 Oz. with a NOS selvedge denim waistband and pocket, orange stitching.
DETAILS:
* Bitchen late 60’s to 1970’s style
* Bitchen paracord/eyelet waist closure system.
* Bitchen Velcro® fly.
* Bitchen selvedge waistband.
* Bitchen side pocket with Velcro® flap.
* Bitchen rear concealed sand pocket.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/SHRINKAGE
The board shorts are only available RAW because we let you do the surfing.
Both fabrics will shrink to the approximate same measurements after the first original cold soak. These trunks are pretty much true-to-size, although cut a bit on the vanity-size side in the waist. The paracord/eyelet closure system allows for some slight adjustment to the waist for a tighter/looser fit.
With the Indigo Twill version some color bleeding is to be expected during the early stages of wear. At the pool party, refrain from sitting on your neighbor’s white sofa right, especially holding a glass of pomegranate juice and a beet salad paper plate.
Swim trunks should be low maintenance, and these are. They will fade and show wear according to how you use them. Riding waves or watching “Big Wednesday” will result in different wear patterns.
Please refer to sizing chart for soak/line dry measurements (please note that further shrinkage can be expected with hot soak and machine dry.)
 
Available Raw (unwashed) ONLY
Tagged Sizes
W28
W30
W32
W34
W36
Retail $129.95
Available from our brick & mortar and our webstore.
Please call the store at 323-653-2014 or email [email protected] with questions not addressed above.
Thank you sincerely for your support 🙂
Pit Stop Shirt
“The Sportsman” Catalog, Spring 2014
There aren’t many rules in the Garment Industry, but it is often agreed upon that one should avoid the word ‘pit’ when considering a moniker for a men’s shirt.
As a winning formula for a high sell-through, it is not unlike an entire collection of flesh colored polyester overalls.
So, let’s proudly introduce Mister Freedom® ‘Pit Stop Shirt’, another addition to our Sportsman catalog for Spring 2014.
One could think that this was, again, heavily influenced by my personal musical hero, JB.
 JB Courtesy Getty Images ESPN However, we had two finely woven striped broadcloth selvedge fabrics milled in Japan for the occasion. Inspired by vintage swatches from our archives, these two light weight fabrics have somewhat of an old work/uniform feel to them. Milkman meets delivery driver meets filling station attendant on the Pacific Coast Highway circa 1935, meets Le Mans.
What a party.
     
The pattern of the ‘Pit Stop’ is that of our original Sportsman Chambray shirt, featuring some MF® Sportsman signature details that our entire block envies us for. Including across the street.
Things like inverted box-pleat pocketing, shoulder expansion pleats, inside green chain-stitch, metal cast buttons, side gussets, chin strap, American manufacture… to name a few.
Our Pit Stop Shirt is designed and made in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original MFSC pattern, inspired by our usual vintage influences.
FABRIC:
Two options
a) Blue: fine and light-weight 100% cotton woven stripe broadcloth, selvedge, milled in Japan.
b) White: fine and light-weight 100% cotton woven stripe broadcloth, selvedge, milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Relaxed silhouette and fit.
* Original chest inverted box-pleat double pockets.
* Slim chin strap.
* Full button front.
* MF® original olive green painted embossed metal buttons, combination solid and MFSC branding.
* White cotton popeline button facing strip.
* Double front & back expansion pleats on shoulder yoke.
* One piece cuff gusset.
* 100% cotton thread, high stitch count.
* Flat felled seams, with inside green chain-stitch MF® signature.
* Side gussets with self fabric.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label.
* Made in California, USA.
SIZING/WASHING:
The Pit Stop shirt comes unwashed and will shrink to tagged size. If you are a usually a medium in other mfsc shirts, go with a medium. Both fabric options size and fit the same.
Although a very light-weight and fine fabric, this is a low maintenance shirt, no special care. Machine wash and tumble dry as needed.
Please refer to chart bellow for measurements.
Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES:
14½ (Small)
15½ (Medium)
16½ (Large)
17½ (X-Large)
18½ (XX-Large)
Retail $289.95
Soon available on www.misterfreedom.com
Please call 323-653-2014 or email [email protected] with any questions not answered above.
Thank you sincerely for baring with us and for your support.
For the up-coming endless Spring Summer 2014 season, we are adding some “60’s beach movie meets Uncle Sam” vibe to the mfsc “The Sportsman” catalog.
All made in USA.
The line-up will include:
* Board Shorts: NOS cotton twill, stripe and indigo
* Indian Madras shirts: ‘Sierra’ or ‘Beach’ plaid
* ‘Wheat’ Ranch Blouse and Speedway jeans: off white 10 Oz. Pique
* ‘Uncle Sam’ Edition Lot.64 Ranch Blouse and Californian Blues Jeans: 13 ¾ Oz. selvedge denim (SC66)
* ‘Pitstop’ broadcloth shirts: blue and white
* Sportsman Chinos: ‘Beach’ selvedge chino twill and Indigo ‘métisse’ cotton/linen
All items in production right now, full specs as each item drops, sometime during Feb/March 2014.
Please email [email protected] with any question not answered above.
Thank you for your support.
The “APPALOOSA” Denim Shirt
mfsc Sportsman Fall 2013
The Appaloosa, the ‘spotted horse’, has always fascinated me as a kid. Indians rode them in the western movies, how cool is that.
Because Appaloosa horses were scarce where I grew up however, I settled for local alternatives.
Please note that there is absolutely no evidence of the above anecdote, due to its pre-smartphone era when meals and daily footwear choices went undocumented.
Oh, wait…
 
What does all this have to do with a denim shirt? Not much indeed. So. Take two.
A denim shirt was a wardrobe staple for many of the usual cool suspects back in the days, on or off set. Hud, Henry Thomas… you name ’em.
  
We have issued a few denim shirts in the past at Mister Freedom®. The “Utility Shirt” and “CPO Shirt, Liberty Issue” in our early Naval days, the “Prairie Shirt” in our Frontier days…
But we do not have one yet in our ‘The Sportsman’ catalog. So let’s introduce the “APPALOOSA” Denim Shirt, an addition for Fall 2013.
It’s moniker has been scientifically approached above, so we’re good. For the design, we have combined several details of vintage western and work shirts, trying to stay clear from the ‘traditional’ cowboy cut denim western yoke shirt, aka the Wrangler shirt, denim shirt ol’ timer.
As previously with our Sportsman printed flannel shirts, we shamelessly borrowed their painted metal snaps from 50’s Ranchcraft or Blue Bell shirts. Our front yoke is of a vintage ‘Roebuck’ type rather than the usual western arcuate style, its seam also locking the pocket flaps.
The Appaloosa also combines two stitching colors, yellow and orange, in what appears to be a random pattern. The idea here being to emulate old school work wear, during days when a pressed for time factory often used what was on hand to fill an order. That is fabric and thread used.
With workwear and sportswear manufacturing, consistency seems to be somewhat of a modern concept, considering the many examples of ‘craftsmanship funkiness’ seen in (real) vintage clothing. Unintentional mismatched fabric panels (different dye lots, sometimes different fabrics) or odd stitch lines are just a few challenging points to the ‘clothes were better made back then’ usual theory.
 
It might sound a bit silly to go the extra mile nowadays to ‘mimic’ the manufacturing mistakes of the past, but there is to me definitely beauty in flaws. 侘 寂 some call it…
Along these lines of charming inconsistency, and because we know better than to make it simple, we have selected four different New Old Stock (NOS) rolls of 2×1 denim from our stock to get cut and sewn into Appaloosa shirts.
Similar in weight and appearance, all four denim have their own specifics and subtle differences:
* Lot A: Approx 9 Oz. Random ‘snowy’ spotted appearance. No, I don’t mean 80’s acid wash, that’s next year’s collection. Rather, a slub quality due to fluctuations of the weft spun yarn gage. Blackish dark navy, white selvedge with yellow line.
* Lot C: Approx 9 Oz. Bluish shade. White selvedge ID with red line.
* Lot D: Approx 8 Oz. Purplish sheen. White selvedge ID with double red line.
* Lot E: Similar to Lot C but solid white selvedge ID.
Now I know you have some important questions you want to ask:
1) What happened to LOT B? We’re looking for it.
2) Do they shrink the same? Pretty close.
3) What’s your favorite? A, C, D, E, in no particular order.
Designed and made in California, USA, by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN: An original mfsc pattern, inspired by vintage workwear and western shirting.
FABRIC:
Four options of New Old Stock 100% cotton selvedge 2 x 1 denim twill, with limited size availability for each.
* Lot A: About 9 Oz. Random ‘snowy’ spotted appearance. No, I don’t mean 80’s acid wash, that’s next year’s collection. Rather, a slub quality due to fluctuations of the weft spun yarn gage. Blackish dark navy, white selvedge with yellow line.
* Lot C: About 9 Oz. Bluer shade. White selvedge ID with red line.
* Lot D: About 8 Oz. Purple sheen. White selvedge ID with double red line.
* Lot E: Similar to Lot C but solid white selvedge ID.
Please note that, due to limited yardage of each NOS denim, we were not able to cut a full size scale in each Lot.
DETAILS:
* Slim ‘western shirt’ type silhouette and fit.
* Painted metal DOT snaps. The white paint will chip with age.
* Vintage ‘Roebuck’ type front yoke
* Western style back yoke.
* Two chest pockets, snap flaps, locked into yoke construction.
* Selvedge ID on button front facing panels.
* Double snap cuffs.
* Orange and yellow 100% cotton stitching combination.
* Double chainstitch construction with green color thread “Sportsman” inside signature.
* Selvedge ID side gussets, chainstitch run offs.
* Original mfsc “The Sportsman” woven rayon label.
* Made in USA
SIZING/WASHING:
All four denim options come RAW/Un-washed and will shrink to tagged size. We recommend an original 20-30mn cold soak, machine spin dry then line dry.
I wear a Medium in mfsc shirting and am a tight Medium a LARGE in the ‘Appaloosa’ denim shirt. I might have once been a medium, but life happens…
The Appaloosa shirt fits very snug, more ‘Hud’ than ‘Hip Hop’. It might not accommodate all body types, see measurements.
For the hardcore denim aficionados, wear the shirt briefly when still damp to shape it and set creases in, then hang back to fully dry. When using this method, the shirt will feel stiff when fully dried, due to the starch still in the fibers. This is normal/expected and the fabric will soften up with normal wear.
Please note that the demand/need for ‘soft’ denim garments led to the stone-wash plague of the 1980’s. Talk about creating a monster…
Subsequent washing when needed: Shirt turned inside out, hand wash or very gentle cycle with cold water and minimal environmentally friendly detergent. Line dry.
Please refer to sizing chart for raw/rinsed measurements (soaked/dried according to our recommended method).
 Size Chart Lot A-C
 Size Chart Lot D-E Available RAW/Un-washed
Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL
Retail $289.95
Soon available from our Los Angeles store and online from www.misterfreedom.com
Thank you for your support.
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