 Dude!  
Mister Freedom® “BOWLER”.
mfsc SS2019 Surplus Catalog.
Made in Japan.
If you have an urge to channel your inner Jesus and strike ten in the pit, here is a fun little number, a whimsical slice of classic vintage Americana from the Mister Freedom® mfsc Surplus catalog. We opted to go light for the final seasonal drop of SS2019.
The body of this MF® original is inspired by classic 1940’s bowling shirt specimens, featuring rounded tails and rear panel expansion gussets/waist cinch pattern. The body fabric is the typical all-rayon material of vintage high-end bowling shirts, cool and comfortable. The back features an original MF® graphic in traditional old school promotional fashion, machine chain-stitched by Toyo Enterprises’ expert garment ornamentation specialists in Japan.
We only made very few of these.
The Mister Freedom® “BOWLER” is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Classic and luscious 100% rayon material.
Two color options, black or cream.
DETAILS:
* Pattern inspired by classic 1940’s and 1950’s bowling shirts.
* Open loop collar.
* Rear panel expansion gussets and waist cinch stitching.
* Original MF® graphic machine chain-stitched embroidery.
* Composite buttons.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® “BOWLER” is ready-to-wear. These have been professionally rinsed and steamed, and no initial soak/processing is required.
The “BOWLER” is cut quite generously, and I opted for a SMALL.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate off-the-rack measurements.
CHART
CARE:
Professional dry-clean only, in your local environmentally-conscious facility.
If considering hand-washing, do not use heat dryer.
Available pre-rinsed.
Sizes
Small (14-14½)
Medium (15-15½)
Large (16-16½)
X-Large (17-17½)
XX-Large (18-18½)
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®
©2019
 
Mister Freedom® Ranch Blouse & Californian LOT.64 BB “OKINAWA” edition.
Sportsman catalog, mfsc SS2019 RESTOCK.
Made in USA.
These two numbers were initially released during FW2017.
All sizes of the popular Mister Freedom® “OKINAWA” Californian Lot64BB and Ranch Blouse are back in stock for SS2019.
Fabric and specs are exactly the same as the original release.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2019
Continental Bermudas, NOS cotton-linen “Congo Gab” & cotton-linen Crosshatch Moss Denim.
mfsc SS2019 Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
We introduced our Mister Freedom® “Continental” series in early 2016, an unpretentious all-made-in-USA casual suiting concept consisting of three new patterns – Continental Trousers, Continental Vest, Continental Sportcoat – seasonally released in a combination of vintage New Old Stock fabrics.
 The Mister Freedom® “Continental” family, Sportcoat, Vest & Trousers. Made in USA. We added a new member to the family during Spring 2018, the Continental Bermudas.
The MF® Bermudas’ pattern is derived from the original Continental Trousers, our interpretation of classic late 50’s-mid 60’s casual slacks. These tailored short trousers are a departure from, no offense, dad’s favorite 1990’s cargo shorts, the recreational fisherman’s best friend. We aimed for a more elegant silhouette on this project, more summer in the Bahamas than Sunday at Home Depot.
Anchored in a British military style tradition allegedly dating back to WW1, original ‘bermuda shorts’ called for a length of approximately one inch above the knee, which we stuck with. Whether you go for the mandatory knee-length socks, blazer and tie dear to the respectable Bermudian keen on proper insular business attire, is up to you. For a casual stroll around town in old-school Ivy League style, we think you’ll do just fine with a simple Stanley or Berkeley shirt, topped with an unstructured Continental Sportcoat, and shod in a pair of vintage penny loafers or wingtips… Better yet, do your own thing, and forget “influencers”!
The above-the-knee target length will obviously depend on where one considers the waist line to be. Our Continental Bermudas feature a mid-to-high rise, and, call us old-fashioned, we tend to think of the waist as a natural line falling right above the hips. The simple single needle hem can easily be tailored to one’s length of choice. A shorter length might convey more of a sporty and contemporary vibe, although you might want to consult with your partner before going full Daisy Dukes.
For this SS2019 release, we opted for two distinct New Old Stock fabrics from our vault, previously featured in the Sportsman catalog as iterations of the Ranger Shirt, and Continental Sportcoat, Vest, and Trousers.
The first fabric is a crosshatch (slubby warp and weft) denim twill, a fancy 70% cotton/30% linen blend, milled in Italy. This elegant yet rugged indigo moss blue cloth will fade to an attractive range of blue hues overtime, with the typical uneven crisscross “ring” lines of crosshatch denim.
The second option, an off-white “Congo Gab” fabric, is an 8.85 Oz. blend of 86% cotton and 14% linen, an elegant ivory white twill with a subtly-contrasting darker heather oatmeal weft. The face of this denim-like fabric features unbleached yarns, while the reverse displays slubby flecks of natural fibers. For those intending to pair these white bermudas with the SS2018 Continental “Congo Gabardine” Sportcoat, please note that the jacket features the oatmeal side as the face, and both piece will not match as a two-piece suit.
Our choice of “Congo Gabardine” terminology, although technically inaccurate, is a nod to vintage “Congo Cloth”. Refer to the original post and its illustrations for a bit of rambling on the subject.
For pocketing, we have outfitted both options with an elegant European woven stripe lining fabric, previously featured on the black Continental “JC” Two-Piece Suit.
The Continental Bermudas are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
An original mfsc pattern inspired by vintage late 1950’s and early 1960’s casual slacks with a classic, slim silhouette. Mid-to-high rise.
FABRIC OPTIONS:
a) New Old Stock 11 Oz. Crosshatch Denim Twill, indigo moss blue (blue with a greenish sheen), slubby 70% cotton 30% linen blend, milled in Italy.
b) New Old Stock ivory white twill, 8.85 Oz., blend of 86% cotton and 14% linen, slubby oatmeal flecks and white warp, with off-white heather weft, milled origin unknown.
Pocketing: NOS fancy woven stripe 100% cotton plain weave (ivory white with blue & grey stripes), milled in Europe.
DETAILS:
* Elegant late 1950′s early 1960’s type silhouette and fit, above the knee length.
* Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckle.
* Amber brown corozo wood fly and waist buttons.
* Rear welt pockets, watch pocket.
* Coin pocket.
* Trousers-style belt loops.
* Crotch gusset pattern.
* Flat-felled side seam “caballo” construction.
* 100% cotton NOS fancy European woven stripe twill pocket bags and waist band.
* Tonal 100% cotton thread construction, with inside green chainstitch MF® signature accents.
* Original “SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on rear waistband, concealed when wearing a belt.
* Made in USA.
SIZING:
The MF® Continental Bermudas come raw/unwashed.
Both fabric options will shrink to approximately the same size after a 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
These are “vanity size”, with somewhat of a generous waist that can be cinched with the rear adjustable strap. I tend to fluctuate between W30 and W32 in mfsc trousers, according to the model, and opted for a comfortable W32 in the Continental Bermudas, in both fabrics.
Refer to sizing chart for cold soak/spin dry/line dry measurements.
 
CARE:
Launder when necessary.
Machine wash on delicate, garment inside-out, cold water with minimal environmentally-friendly detergent and line dry.
Wash with similarly-colored garments.
NOTE: Full washing cycle in hot water and machine dry might result in excessive shrinkage and color loss. Not recommended.
Available Raw/unwashed
Sizes
W 28
W 30
W 32
W 34
W 36
W 38
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® 2018
Mister Freedom® “BERKELEY” Pull-over Shirt.
New Old Stock Italian linen.
SS2019 mfsc “The SPORTSMAN” catalog.
Made in USA.
The MF® “Berkeley” is a no-frills, pull-over type shirt with a vintage preppy vibe, a nod to 1960’s American campuses attire, California old-school collegial wear and casual Ivy-League style. The moniker is a reference to UC Berkeley, and its rich history.
Introduced during Spring 2018 and initially released in two “bleeding madras“ options, the MF® “BERKELEY” shirt pattern is part of our on-going production of all made-in-USA originals, regrouped under the Mister Freedom® “Sportsman” catalog. A long-sleeve version was subsequently made available in an indigo/white hickory stripe twill and a brown “Cacao” chambray.
The NOS fabrics of this SS2019 release are quite contemporary but boast a fancy old-school pedigree. They were produced by the Italian mills of the renown ALBINI Group, purveyor of fine tailoring textiles since 1876. We were lucky to score some yardage of two distinct yarn-dyed plain weave linen Albini fabrics in a Los Angeles warehouse, and jumped on the opportunity to take the Berkeley on an escapade to Lombardy, for a touch of classic Italian elegance.
These two summer fabrics are light weight and breezy, featuring a subtle sheer, a crispy dry hand, and the typical wrinkled look and classic drape of 100% linen woven cloth.
 Somewhere in a Los Angeles warehouse… The long-sleeve white/blue stripe Berkeley shirt has a bit of a maritime vibe due to the vertical stripe pattern. The short-sleeve blue/red check version carries more of a typical 1960’s casual summer shirt vibe. Both are easy-to-wear garments. Each fabric option is only available in one sleeve length, as released.
The MF® BERKELEY shirt is designed and made in California by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co, from New Old Stock fabrics.
SPECS:
FABRICS:
a) White & blue woven stripe: 100% linen, light weight, breezy, milled in Italy.
b) Red & blue woven checks: 100% linen, light weight, breezy, milled in Italy.
DETAILS:
* An original MF® shirt pattern inspired by vintage 1960’s Ivy League style and American campuses attire.
* Pull-over type.
* Button-down collar.
* Amber brown corozo wood “Cat-Eyes” buttons.
* Two inverted-pleat chest pockets.
* Side gussets.
* Tailored-style sleeve setting.
* Chain-stitch construction.
* MF® woven “Sportsman” rayon label.
* Designed and made in USA from New Old Stock fabrics.
SIZING/FIT:
Both linen options of the Mister Freedom® SS2019 BERKELEY shirt come raw/unwashed and will shrink to the same tagged size after an initial 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
I wear a Medium (15-15½) in most mfsc button-down shirts and I opted for a comfortable Medium for the white/blue stripe (same size choice I had made for the madras versions), and a snug Small for the red/blue checks.
For a relaxed fit, we recommend getting your usual mfsc shirt size.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
   
CARE:
Due to the delicate nature of the fine-woven linen fabric, consider and handle the SS2019 BERKELEY as a fragile garment. Hand washing is preferable, but the shirts can be machine-washed on delicate/gentle cycle, cold water, minimal eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Un-button the shirt before washing (collar and front.) Do not launder with clothing containing sharp hardware (metal buttons, metal zippers, hooks,…) to avoid snagging and overall damage to the shirt.
Available RAW (unwashed).
Two options: L/S white & blue stripes and S/S red & blue checks.
Sizes
Small (14-14½)
Medium (15-15½)
Large (16-16½)
X-Large (17-17½)
XX-Large (18-18½)
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®
©2019
 
 Papy, instant desert rat, real as a three dollar bill! MF® DIY, The Look You Want – When You Want It! 
Mister Freedom “DUNE BUGGY” Jacket.
SS2019 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection.
Made in Japan.
The making-of this next number is a long – brace yourselves – and soporific story, harking back to my Los Angeles days of relentless thrift-store-hunting and flea-market-prowling…
As a rule I learned during my “American rag Cie” boot camp years as a picker, I’d usually pass on poly-cotton garments. But there was something about that 60’s black and white racing jacket I couldn’t leave behind, despite its large modern-looking “Solar Productions” chest patch that threw me off at the time. That was no STP coolness, I thought. Late 1990’s…
If I remember well, this number came out of Aadvark´s, a today-defunct SoCal vintage clothing store chain with reputedly low-priced hidden treasures, if one took the time to weed through the ocean of run-of-the-mill garb, and knew the trade. The jacket, manufactured by ¨Bowler’s Shirt and Uniform¨ of Los Angeles, was intriguing. No iPhone to google it up on the spot, so i shelled the $20 bucks or so, and took it home, saving it from its Halloween costume fate…
Sported it around town on several occasions, as all I owned were vintage duds at the time. Unsure how I eventually figured out that ¨Solar Productions¨ was Steve McQueen´s own film production company, established around 1965, later located on the CBS lot in Studio City, California. Score!
This piece is one of the very few lucky find that I managed to hold-on to, in my 30 years in the vintage schmatta. The hunt is exciting, but collecting and hoarding less appealing, to me.
Fast-forward to 2018. While working on our ¨YUCATÁN¨ SS2019 mfsc capsule collection, pulling-out that old jacket out of the closet made sense. Quick research had yielded several photos of McQueen himself sporting his, along with other members of the Solar crew. These on-set pictures were mostly captured during the 1969-70 scouting and filming of ¨Le Mans¨ in France. Check-out the book “Le Mans in the Rearview Mirror“.
I’ve always wondered who initially owned that jacket scored some 20 years ago. How many were produced and distributed for promotional purposes? Solar Productions HQ consisted of a staff of about 25 people in 1968. Did mine belong to one of McQueen’s buddies, or employees, or, could it be… ??!
I’ll never know, but that thing sure is a keeper!
 An original late 1960’s “Solar Productions” film crew jacket, a lucky thrift-store find in the late 1990’s. (Mister Freedom® Archives) Back to the MF® Design Dept… It was of course out of the question to replicate that vintage piece verbatim, for obvious Intellectual Property concerns, and because McQueen Racing, Chad McQueen’s company, should obviously be first to release a replica or reissue of the original “Solar Production” crew jacket design.
For our project, we merely used the jacket as an inspiration spark and for its Costume History value, following instead the usual might-have-been MF® design approach. We did borrow the cool snap-on throat-latch stand collar detail gimmick of the original jacket.
For the rest of the design, we tapped into vintage military gear and decided to merge racing with a 1970´s USAF classic, namely a CWU-7P (Cold Weather Unit) ground crew jacket. The Frankenstein result is a contemporary wearable with a classic, timeless vibe.
For the shell fabric, we opted for a double-face woven textile, cotton face and rayon reverse aka cotton-back sateen, an original fabric inspired by vintage 1950’s ‘weatherproof’ McGregor® Scottish Drizzlers we previously featured on our BREEZER Windbreaker. The “DUNE BUGGY” is cut cotton side-out, with the sateen rayon twill side visible on the tonal ‘racing’ chest stripe. The fabric face is rather matte, contrasting with the rayon sateen sheen.
The lining is an elegant British-style woven plaid, cotton/linen blend, milled in an attractive indigo blue and white tartan.
Our “DUNE BUGGY” jacket’s demeanor is quite sleek and unassuming, with an understated 60’s racing vibe. Unless… you decide to rev-up your speedster street credit overnight with a DIY job, sticking on the jacket all kinds of vintage grease monkey-related patches! Pismo Beach dune-riding Baja Boot special, or motorcycle racing à-la “On Any Sunday” desert-rat… Go, Speed Racer, Go!
The MF® “DUNE BUGGY” Jacket is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Shell: Tightly woven blend of 50% cotton (matte face) and 50% rayon twill sateen (shinny reverse, visible on chest racing stripe), aka cotton-back sateen, milled in Japan.
Lining: Cotton/linen blend woven plaid, indigo and white tartan.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc pattern blending 1970’s USAF CWU-7P ground crew jacket, vintage 1960’s racing crew gear, and old Hollywood history.
* Fully lined.
* Understated single racing stripe on chest, displaying the shinier rayon side of the fabric.
* Snap-on throat-latch stand collar 1960’s design.
* Zipper front, 1960’s style vintage Mil-Specs heavy-duty metal zipper.
* Wide lower wrap pockets with slanted snap flaps.
* Single chest pocket with slanted snap flap.
* Wind-flap with zig-zag stitching.
* Snap-on cinch tabs on sleeve cuffs.
* USAF flight jacket-style rear panel shoulder darts.
* Original mfsc “YUCATÁN” rayon woven label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® “DUNE BUGGY” jacket comes raw/unwashed.
We recommend our usual method for raw washable garments:
* 30-40mn cold soak with intermittent hand agitation, in washing machine or bath tub.
* Spin dry cycle (if using a machine).
* Hang dry.
This garment is is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry.
The noticeable difference of shell/lining shrinkage will result in the attractive plaid lining discreetly peeping on the bottom, a subtle cool detail familiar to vintage clothing aficionados.
I opted for a MEDIUM in the “DUNE BUGGY”, my usual size in mfsc jackets. The fit is quite slim but comfortable, with an old-school racing crew jacket silhouette.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
 
CARE:
Wash separately on delicate (do not use the heavy-duty machine settings, as the metal zipper and pull may damage the fabric during the rapid agitation), cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Line dry.
Do not use hot water or heat dryer.
Available raw (un-washed)
Sizes
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles 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®
©2019
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