Enter the Loiron
Mister Freedom® SPORTSMAN Shirt, NOS 2×1 ICEBLU Selvedge Denim.
SS2024 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
We introduced the MF® Sportsman Shirt pattern sometime in 2013, and have since released it in a wide range of new original or vintage NOS fabrics.
This simple vintage utilitarian style is our spin on classic 1930s-1950s work shirts, with the expected early workwear details such as chin strap and side gussets, and the less-common shoulder yoke dart construction. This latter detail is the main difference between the Mister Freedom® Sportsman Shirt and its Ranger Shirt compadre.
We scored some fine NOS yardage of 2×1 selvedge denim last year, a lightweight 7.25 Oz. twill in a very desirable lighter indigo shade, and decided to do a small run with it. Like previous lighter indigo denims we’ve worked with — from the Maverick to the Ranch Blouse — we’re calling this hue “IceBlu” (at times spelled Ice Blue, IceBlue, Ice-blu etc) because we’re cool like that.
Side note, this killer fabric (of probable USA origin, if not Japan) was definitely not a wise choice for cutting shirts with… It is milled on narrow shuttle loom, and, at a width of 29¼’’, is hardly the optimal candidate for a high yielding shirting fabric! Due to pattern cutting technicalities, fabrics with a 29”~32” width are usually ideal for making selvedge jeans, not shirts. Because you need almost double the amount of yardage to produce one garment, obviously driving the cost up.
But, like desert dweller Edward “take the other” Abbey suggested, this was the less-travelled road we opted for again. So there it is.
To spice things up, we opted for contrast yellow and orange stitching (the vintage-inspired color combo we use on our Californian blue jeans), a nod to period workwear production when consistency took second place over using-up everything on hand at factory level, fabric, trims, lining, and thread.
Additionally, a front row of fancy French milky-white glass buttons (authentic New Old Stock from the 1920s-30s) should make you feel very special, and probably aggravated should you accidentally smash one. Just don’t stomp on your shirt wearing clogs. If you do, forget Amazon, but this place may have replacements.
The MF® SPORTSMAN Shirt “IceBlu” Denim is designed and made in California, USA, by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Original MFSC pattern, inspired by classic 1930s-50s workwear shirting and vintage menswear fashion.
FABRIC:
New Old Stock 2×1 selvedge denim, lightweight 7.25 Oz. twill, lighter indigo “IceBlu” shade, white line selvedge ID. Probable USA mill origin.
DETAILS:
* Relaxed silhouette and fit.
* Original inverted box-pleat double chest pockets.
* Narrow chin strap.
* Authentic 1920s-30s French NOS glass buttons.
* White cotton poplin button facing strip.
* Double front & back expansion pleats on shoulder yoke, for ease of movement.
* One piece cuff gussets.
* 100% cotton thread, high stitch count, contrast yellow and orange combo.
* Flat felled seams, with inside green chain-stitch MF® signature.
* Side gussets displaying fabric selvedge.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label.
* Limited production.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The SPORTSMAN Shirt, IceBlu Denim edition, comes unwashed and is cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend this straight-forward easy protocol:
- Rinse in cold water, machine setting on delicate, full cycle.
- Line dry, no heat dryer.
At 5’7 ~145 lbs, I opted for a SMALL for a trim yet comfortable fit, personal preference. We recommend getting your usual size in MF® shirts.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate soaked/rinsed measurements, and reach out to sales@misterfredom.com for further sizing advice.
CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Note: 1920s-30s vintage glass buttons are sturdy but obviously more fragile than contemporary plastic/wood buttons, please handle accordingly.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Joe Greene, art director…
Not meeting deadlines…
“Yeah, whatever, I don’t look nuthin’ like that pops!”
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” ©2024 & “Area 51” book by Annie Jacobsen (2011)
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Charlie & Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Charlie & Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” ©2024 & “Area 51” book by Annie Jacobsen (2011)
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Charlie) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Charlie) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Charlie) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (Delta) ©2024
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf® Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” ©2024 & “Area 51” book by Annie Jacobsen (2011)
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf “Rock’n’Roll” Shirt, SS2024 “FLYING SAUCERS” edition.
AREA 7161 collection.
Made in Japan.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
We have the scoop: flying saucers have landed, and it happened right here in California, USA, at Area 7161 a few days ago. As announced on Japanese TV!
Background:
The topic of Unidentified Flying Objects has piqued public’s interest in the US starting in the 1930s…
Soon following America’s involvement in the WW2 conflict, US flyers on combat missions described unexplainable “fireballs” in the sky in both the European and Pacific Theaters. Those unexplained phenomena were coined as “Foo Fighters” at the time, origin of the term somewhat uncertain, maybe related to a popular 1940s comic strip.
In 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold’s alleged sighting of nine airborne shiny “boomerangs” helped seal the popular term “flying saucers” and sparked a “flying disc” sighting craze with Americans, not-only eager for exciting news after a draining world war, but reassessing their worldviews in the Atomic Age.
Another major event in ufology, well-publicized since, also happened in 1947. Known as the Roswell incident, this was an alleged UFO crash in a New Mexico desert ranch (Forster Ranch.) It was said that the crashed spaceship included its Alien pilots crew, who, interestingly, had been skilled-enough to travel through space from a distant planet, possessing the proper advanced technology, avoiding all kinds of meteors and space junk on the way, but failed to put on the breaks at the last minute! Go figure. For some, this was a mere weather balloon (or highly-classified surveillance balloon), for others a Russian secret weapon, an alien spaceship, a communist psychological warfare hoax aimed at destabilizing the USA, …, amongst the many interpretations. The event has also been considered as a mysterious military/CIA cover-up.
Some people even believe — to this day — that the crashed Roswell “UFO” spacecraft has been under reverse-engineering in a secret AREA 51 hangar for years, along with the bodies of its large-headed pilots…
It is generally accepted that most 1950s-60s UFO sightings in the USA were, in fact, shiny silver high altitude secret U-2 spy plane prototypes on test flights. But what do I know. My hunch is that the UFO pilots were distracted by all the cool music happening on Earth in the 1940s, and just missed their Roswell landing. Maybe they were staring at their cel phones and crashed?
For a serious historical timeline and much much broader background, Annie Jacobsen’s AREA 51 — a well-researched and fascinating book written in 2011 with an overwhelming amount of declassified intel — is a great read.
Full visuals/ramblings here.
Design inspiration:
We pulled out the old watercolors and brushes for the graphic. The original artwork was inspired by a blend of 1947 Roswell imagery, a twist of Giant Rock in the California High Desert, vintage UFO lore, a bit of imagination and a lot of artistic limitations, all that under the watchful eye of art director Joe Greene, also from another planet. For those interested, plenty making-of photos of the watercoloring process documented in the SS2024 preview.
The clumsy doodle was then translated by our friends and vintage “Aloha shirt” experts at Sun Surf® into a painstakingly-produced fabric print, for an authentic “Hawaiian shirt” feel.
Please note that some R&D/lookbook photos featured on this post show early prototypes (referred to Alpha & Bravo), with a slightly different graphic distribution on the front panels. These A & B protos are not what was produced. To better convey the initially-intended period traditional “vintage Hawaiian shirts” vibe with an authentic “Aloha” style graphic balance, final production (referred to as Charlie & Delta) has been adjusted to an off-set left/right front panel pattern.
Simply put, the desert landscape scene is intentionally out-of-synch on the shirt’s front panels, while it is presented in its uninterrupted glory on the back panel!
Of course, the fabric print of the single chest pocket is in perfect alignment with the body print, aka “matching pocket” in collectors’ jargon.
Fabric printing in Japan is done on traditional machines, using intricate printing procedures. As discussed on a recent CLUTCHMAN TV episode (RnR shirt convo starts at 03:00), a technique known as “overprinting” (necessitating 18 different screens!) had to be used to replicate the color gradation and shading of the original watercolor painting, instead of the somewhat faster “discharge printing” method. As Sugar Cane brand director Fukutomi Sensei mildly put it, “苦労しました” (kurō shimashita = it was not easy.)
For more visuals and heritage Aloha shirts knowledge — especially for one whose “flower shirt” expertise is limited to Magnum PI’s 80s red “Jungle Bird” pattern by Paradise Found — check out Sun Surf® well-documented reference books and current faithful vintage replicas of 1930s~1960s models. If you’re into the “From Here to Eternity” look, Sun Surf® has the goods!
Our friends at Sun Surf® deliver yearly collections under the guidance of Kobayashi San, Toyo Enterprise’s elusive current CEO, an avid and well-respected “aloha-shatsu” museum-quality collector. I tried to snap a current photo of Sacho San during our recent March 2024 mfsc show but he was gone the second I blinked!
On an industry-related note, even in the “slow fashion” world that MF® has opted to partake in since 2007, show samples are always cut/sewn under challenging pressure in order to meet a specific event (aka trade show) deadline. Things get even more challenging when a specific fabric has to be milled, or when a new original fabric print is a major part of the garment design! I’m always late with design directions/graphic submissions, and our friends at Toyo Enterprise will never cease to amaze me at pulling rabbits out of the hat to make things happen.
We started our Mister Freedom® x SUN SURF® collaboration back in 2015, kicking it off with the first of our “Rock & Roll” shirt, the “Action Packed” model, recently-released in black and white. Followed the boppin’ “Rocket 88” edition released during Spring 2016, available in all-cotton ivory, dark navy blue and mint green, a tribute to Rock & Roll’s early fifties roots. Randomly venturing to the burning Sahara sands, destination the French penal colonies of North Africa and their inked-up inmates, we then released the BIRIBI edition during Spring 2018, in white and dark navy.
To compliment our SS2019 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection (story here), we then designed the “Yucatán Fiesta”, released in black and white.
Epic trips with the fam to Santa Catalina Island — and Dorothy and Otis Shepard — have inspired the Catalina model, in white and black.
In 2024, we are humbled again to have our latest doodle translated into a fancy 1940s-50s style rayon shirt!
The Mister freedom® x Sun Surf “Flying Saucers” Rock & Roll Shirt is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sun Surf® and Sugar Cane Co, both divisions of Toyo Enterprise.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% rayon fabric, woven and printed in Japan with traditional fabric printing techniques.
Two color options, Charlie (original colorway), and Delta (subdued, “night time” colorway).
DETAILS:
* Limited edition collaboration with the Sun Surf® label.
* Body pattern/cut inspired by classic vintage 1940’s-50’s Aloha shirts.
* All original MF® fabric print, inspired by vintage UFO lore and the 1947 Roswell, NM, “flying saucer” case.
* Fabric printed with “overprinting” method, requiring 18 different color screens to achieve color gradation of original watercolor.
* 1940’s—50’s style open loop collar, aka Arafold-style spread collar.
* Single chest pocket with matching print pattern.
* Brown corozo wood buttons.
* MF® x Sun Surf® “Rock & Roll” woven rayon label and “AREA 7161” double labeling.
* Packaged is a fancy re-usable Sun Surf cardboard shirting box, featuring original MF® artwork inspired by vintage LP covers.
* Made in Japan in limited edition.
SIZING/FIT:
The Rock & Roll Shirt “Flying Saucers” (both Charlie and Delta colorways) comes ready-to-wear right out of the box. No need to soak.
We adopted the time-tested sizing of Sun Surf®’s Aloha shirts for this garment.
I wear a Medium in most mfsc shirting, and opted for a very comfortable Medium in this edition. True to size, not intended to be worn tight, or tucked-in, unless you’re very daring and hip.
See sizing chart for approximate measurements, measured straight out of the packaging box.
CARE:
We recommend professional dry clean only, in your local eco-friendly facility.
Delicate hand-washing in cold water with mild detergent + line dry is also an option.
Do NOT use machine/heat dryer.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot54 Reissue (Lot54R), NOS Cone Mills XUV Selvedge denim, 12 Oz.
mfsc SS2024 SPORTSMAN Catalog
Made in USA
They are back!
The anticipated reissue of our very first MF® CALIFORNIAN blue jeans, an original vintage-inspired five-pocket pattern initially released in 2010, is finally out.
Same classic straight leg cut with traditional mid-rise, same trims, and same vintage New Old Stock (NOS) denim fabric.
We called that cut “Lot54” at the time, a nod the general silhouette/image of the “BRMC” blue jeans featured in The Wild One (1954).
To quote Johnny Stabler, “Now, listen, ya don’t go any one special place. That’s cornball style…Ya just go.” Snap.
Our revived traditional five-pocket design was obviously heavily-inspired by a combo of old Lee®/Levis®/Wrangler® classics, twisted MF® style.
The pair of Lot54 I wore at the time — I had much fewer MF® five-pocket options to grab from the closet back in 2010, so I went hard on those — is one of my favorite in my stash of Californians today. I save them for special occasions, and affectionately call them my “Sunday jeans”. That splash of red paint on the right leg is from the original MF® HQ facade facelift…
After much hunting around in local LA warehouses, we were lucky enough to score some forgotten yardage of the exact same Cone Mills selvedge denim of the original Lot54s, a coded “XUV” 12 Oz. indigo denim twill milled by Cone’s White Oak factory in Greensboro, North Carolina, when it was still operating. After 112 years of loyal service to the Denim and Fashion Industry, that facility notoriously closed in 2017, victim of corporate greed and offshoring fueled by a global audience’s thirst for cheaper goods. Whayagonnado.
If you’re into a classic pair of selvedge jeans with an old school silhouette, cut from vintage NOS USA-milled denim, sewn in USA, and with promising fabric evo potential, the MF® CALIFORNIAN Lot54R (reissue) may not be a bad choice.
The Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot54R (reissue) are designed and made in California, CA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Cut from NOS Cone Mills premium selvedge denim milled in USA.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage 1950s-1960s era five-pocket blue jeans. Our LOT54 cut features a traditional fit, classic mid-rise, with a straight leg for a 1950s-60s period vibe and silhouette.
FABRIC:
Fabric: New Old Stock Cone Mills “XUV” selvedge 3×1 indigo denim, 12 Oz., white with red line selvedge ID, milled in USA.
Pocketing: Classic NOS white 100% cotton twill.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern and fit.
* Classic mid-rise.
* Button fly, original MF®-branded patinaed silver tack buttons.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* Classic NOS cotton twill pocketing.
* MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Natural cowhide leather MF®-branded patch on rear pocket. Will age with normal wash/wear.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads used for construction (gauge and color combination.) Main colors are yellow and orange.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge, to impress friends.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket, to further impress friends.
* Concealed back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bar-tack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher, initial 2010 yellow edition (with unedited smoking’ Johnny!)
* Made in California, USA, in an ethically-responsible and small family-owned factory.
SIZING/FIT:
The Californian Lot54R jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that actual measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry, or drip dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to shape and set creases, then hang until fully dry.
The Lot54R are considered true-to-size. See our MF® Californian cut/fit references here.
At 5’7 ~145 Lbs., I opted for my current W30 waist size, for a snug waist and classic generous 1950s-60s leg.
I’m going un-hemmed and un-cuffed with these.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. Please refer to our size chart and measuring method.
A tagged W32 will most-likely be the right size for an individual with an approximate measured waist of +/- 32 inches, and with average body proportions. Note that your natural waist is a bit bellow belly button level, not bellow the hips.
CARE for your MF® denim jeans:
Wash when necessary, as with other premium denim garments.
We recommend turning the jeans inside-out to avoid potential marbling of the denim fabric. Wash separately from light-colored garments.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Using hot water/heat dryer may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Note that boiling your jeans will turn the leather patch into instant beef jerky, and attaching a new patch on an already-mounted rear pocket is about as easy as wrangling a pack of feral jackrabbits.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
When the denim is too stiff, have your partner break it in. Mister Freedom® ©2012
Mister Freedom® (rinsed) Ranch Blouse & (well-worn) Californian Lot64, same OG23 NOS Cone Mills denim fabric ©2024
Mister Freedom® raw & well-worn Californian Lot64 OG23 NOS Cone Mills denim ©2023
Mister Freedom® (well-worn) Californian Lot64, OG23 NOS Cone Mills denim fabric ©2023
Doing the jig, Cahulawassee River-style, air-banjo. Mister Freedom® ©2024
Mister Freedom® RANCH BLOUSE OG23 NOS Cone Mills Organic Denim.
SS2024 mfsc Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
Our original RANCH BLOUSE design — a Mister Freedom® unisex spin on denim golden era “trucker” jackets, a Type-I-meets-Type-II type thing — remains pretty much unchanged from its 2010 inception: round A-1 style collar, unique lower slanted chest pockets with single pocket flap, “M” stitching on pockets, pleated front with signature arrowhead darts stitching, 30s-style buckle back etc…
Our denim jacket definitely has a 1930s~1940s flare, with its old-school design, period natural waist “boxy” cut and trim fit, and traditional workwear details.
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MF® Ranch Blouse early proto ©2010
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Holding the wall ©2010
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MF® Ranch Blouse, CL, about 6 months wear ©2011
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MF® RB, mix NOS denims ©2010
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MF® Ranch Blouse “Rodeo”, 2010
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Ranch Blouse “Uncle Sam”
Photo courtesy Mr. Aticha Acha ©2016
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Photo courtesy Mr. Kang Chantrasri ©2017
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MF® Ranch Blouses ©2013
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MF® Ranch Blouse Pique ©2014
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MF® Ranch Blouse & Lot.674 (Ice Blue) ©2020
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MF® RB “Midnight” denim ©2019
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MF® RB 2xindigo ©2021
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MF® RB Black SC denim ©2021
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MF® RB canvas ©2023
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MF® RB canvas ©2023
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MF® RB “Bison” ©2022
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MF® RB “Randall” ©2022
To complement one’s collection of hillbilly tuxedoes, the crazy design team at Mister Freedom® is now releasing the classic RANCH BLOUSE in a traditional indigo blue selvedge denim perfectly matching its Californian Lot64 OG23 blue jeans pardner!
This handsome 12.75 Oz organic fabric — New Old Stock from Cone Mills — has a specific vibrant indigo hue reminiscent of older loomstate Levi’s 501® jeans that have been sitting for years on Army & Navy surplus stores’ shelves.
For those into denim fades, this indigo will chip fairly quickly with normal wear/washes, and, although not bound to yield high contrast “whiskers”, the fabric will deliver a very eye-pleasing palette of blues in one’s personal wear pattern.
The connaisseur will also appreciate that the selvedge ID on this fancy denim consists of a white and blue stripe, where the blue part is actual indigo! So, watch that selvedge fade.
My pair of Californian Lot64 OG23 — worn on and off for about a year, yard duty and all, fully washed a few times — started showing promising signs of patina quite early on.
This matching MF® RANCH BLOUSE will now require quite a bit of jig dancing to catch up, but I look forward to the results. And who doesn’t like to cut-a-rug on Dueling Banjos anyways.
Alternatively, have a partner do all the work, and just take full credit later on IG.
The MF® RANCH BLOUSE, OG23 “NOS Cone Mills organic denim” edition, is designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
An all original Mister Freedom® pattern from 2010, inspired by vintage golden era denim “trucker” jackets, a unique Type-I-meets-Type-II style and classic cut.
FABRIC:
New Old Stock (NOS) Cone Mills organic denim, 12.75 Oz., white/indigo stripe selvedge ID.
Under collar & pocket facing: NOS cotton-linen crosshatch “Player” indigo denim.
DETAILS:
* Round-type collar, A-1 style.
* Period natural waist “boxy” cut and classic vintage silhouette.
* Pleated front with original MF® arrowhead dart stitching.
* Original and unique lower slanted chest pockets, single pocket flap.
* MF® “M” branding pocket stitch.
* Denim selvedge ID exposed on front panel fold.
* Contrast NOS denim twill facing for collar and pocket flap.
* Original MF®-branded ‘silver’ tack buttons.
* Buckle back, concealed selvedge cinch strap, adjustable, riveted.
* Copper rivet reinforced, unmarked hardware with leather washer backing.
* Vintage-style orange/yellow combo stitching, 100% cotton thread.
* Traditional “caballo” construction.
* Original mfsc “Buckaroo” printed cloth neck label.
* Proudly made in USA in a small family-owned factory.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® RANCH BLOUSE in OG23 denim comes UN-WASHED and is cut so that actual measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to shape and set creases, then hang until fully dry.
This jacket is considered true-to-size.
At 5’7 ~145 Lbs, I went with a comfortable 38, my usual size in that pattern.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your clothes to fit, and on body proportions. Please refer to size chart or email sales@misterfreedom.com to dial your sizing in.
CARE:
Launder when needed.
We recommend turning indigo blue/denim garments inside out to avoid marbling during laundering. Machine wash, cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Please note that dark indigo might cause color transfer, and potentially “bleed” on light-colored garments, furniture, and skin. This indigo color “crocking” is temporary.
Potential attractive patina will develop according to one’s activities, and frequency of wear/wash cycles.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
Me in front of the mirror, before leaving my hotel room at Pitti Uomo. Mister Freedom® ©2024
Mister Freedom® Californian Lot64 VDL14, Vidalia Mills Black Selvedge Denim Twill, 14 Oz., milled in USA.
mfsc SS2024 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
If I were a fashion blogger I would start with “One of the problems with classic black denim jeans is what to not pair them with…”
Instead, as illustration, below is a plethora of smashing MF® outfits, in all kinds of awkward poses and situations. Same black jeans, and too much time on my hands.
We acquired some very cool yardage of black selvedge denim for this project, with the simple intention of releasing an unpretentious, classic cut, home-grown pair of solid black Mister Freedom® Lot64 Californian.
Milled by Vidalia Specialty Mills in Vidalia, Louisiana, this black selvedge denim twill fabric has quite the historical background. The looms it was produced-on — a few restored vintage 1940s Draper X3 looms — were purchased sometime in 2017 from the iconic Cone Mills White Oak Plant by a North Carolina demolition contractor by the name of Will Dellinger (JW Demolition).
Familiar to all heritage denimheads as the American mill responsible for Levi’s® golden age good looks, Cone Mills folded its domestic operation in 2017, looking for greener pasture and off-shoring to China and Mexico.
The machines were in turn procured by Vidalia in 2019. Apparently 46 machines total.
Of note, Cone still has somewhat of its legit USA denim-producing legacy going strong thanks to the dedicated crew at Proximity Denims since 2021.
If the above chain of events sounds like a whole season of Dallas, it’s probably because the world of American Denim carries about the same amount of intrigue.
What is less plot-driven and more transparent is that the premium denim fabric of the Mister Freedom® Lot64 VDL14 is a black warp x black weft twill, 14 Oz., milled in Louisiana, and that our jeans are cut/sewn in California, USA, the combination of which is bound to make you look fabulous and feel fantastic for years to come. Dress ‘em up, dress ‘em down, go Jailhouse Rock or 30 Rock, these classic black jeans will tell the story you choose.
Please note that these Lot64 VDL14 run fuller in the leg than our typical Lot64s, with a silhouette closer to our Lot54. Be sure to read the sizing section and check the measurement chart, as some may decide to size down one inch from their usual Lot64 size.
The Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 are designed and made in California, CA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Cut from Vidalia Mills premium selvedge denim milled in USA.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage 1950s-1960s era five-pocket blue jeans. Our LOT64 cut features a traditional fit, classic rise, with a slightly-tapered leg for a 1950s-60s period vibe.
FABRIC:
Fabric: 100% cotton black warp x black weft bull denim, 14 oz., white/red selvedge ID, milled in USA by Vidalia Mills on Cone Mills legacy Draper-X3 looms.
Pocketing: NOS 100% cotton canvas, rusty red color.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern and fit.
* Classic mid-rise.
* Button fly, original MF®-branded patinaed tack buttons, brass waist / silver fly combo.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* NOS cotton canvas pocketing.
* MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Black tea-core cowhide leather MF®-branded patch on rear pocket. Will age with normal wash/wear.
* 100% cotton threads construction, black tonal stitching.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bar-tack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher, black VDL14 edition.
* Made in California, USA, in an ethically-responsible and small family-owned factory.
SIZING/FIT:
The Mister Freedom® Californian Lot64 VDL14 black denim jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that actual measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to shape and set creases (optional), then hang until fully dry.
The Mister Freedom® Lot64 VDL14 runs a full size larger than the tag and we recommend sizing down one full size from your normal waist size. Example: If you typically wear pants with a 32” inch waist, we recommend a size 31 in the MF® Lot64 VDL14.
See MF® Californian fit references here.
CL advice: At 5’7 ~145 Lbs., I opted to size down to a W29, for a snug waist and classic 1950s-60s silhouette.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. Please refer to our size chart and measuring method.
CARE for your black denim jeans:
Wash when necessary, as with other premium denim garments.
We recommend turning the jeans inside-out to avoid potential marbling of the denim fabric. Wash separately from light-colored garments.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Using hot water/heat dryer may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Note that boiling your jeans will turn the leather patch into instant beef jerky, and attaching a new patch on an already-mounted rear pocket is about as easy as wrangling a pack of feral jackrabbits.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2024
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