CHRISTOPHELOIRON®

Mister Freedom® Campus jacket, natural veg-tan cowhide, Special “SUNSHINE” Edition. Made in USA, suntanned in California.

Brand new MF® Campus Jacket veg-tan cowhide, day one.

Part of the MF® Campus Jacket “SUNSHINE” process.

Lot.36A MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.36B MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.38A MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.40A MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.42A MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.42B MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Lot.44A MF® Campus “SUNSHINE” Jacket.

Mister Freedom® CAMPUS Jacket “Sunshine” edition.
‘The Sportsman’ catalog.
Made in USA.

We thought a bit of sunshine wouldn’t be unwelcomed these days!
This is a project we actually started developing a while back, occasionally supplying costume designers and stylists with unique specimen for the movie or entertainment industry over the years. We figured some of you might also enjoy these, so they are now documented.
This small select grouping of natural veg-tanned MF® Campus jackets have all received a special outdoor treatment over several months, bathing under our lovely California sunshine and conditioned with ample doses of patience and elbow grease!
The whole process is a bit more involved than just sticking a pale out-of-box Campus Jacket on a hanger in the sun, and watch it magically morph into a golden beauty. The desirable warm orange tones characteristic of old vintage “cossack” type jackets are usually the result of 90 years of wear, neglect, exposure to the elements, … not just suntanning. Additionally, while exposure is key, if the jacket is left too long outside, the sun is more likely to bleach out the golden tones than darken them. Timing is important, and none of the process is an exact science.

Our friend John VEB V has documented his journey with his own Campus early on, and with outstanding results. We pretty much followed a similar procedure for this “Sunshine” batch, without the wearing part. Here is a summery of the high-maintenance process:
1) We set the veg-tanned Campus on a bust form outside, stuffed the arms and body with paper to avoid un-natural tan lines and fold marks. Let the jacket sit outside for several days, rotating it around, exposing all covered areas (under collar, arm pits, side gussets, etc…) From its initial natural pale pink color, a ‘copper pink’ gradually develops…
2) After some time, depending on weather and according to visible results, we generously wiped the entire jacket with a clean, damp cloth. This tends to bring the skin side of the leather “to life”, somewhat sealing it from future water spots. Each leather panel will react differently to water, some slightly shrinking, some slightly stretching, creating natural torquing and subtle seam puckering.
Briefly putting the jacket on to set some natural creases is an option at this stage, but stuffing/shaping it again a key step.
3) Let the sun do its thing again for several days, moving the jacket around a few times a day.
4) When the leather has taken a darker tone and looks ‘thirsty’, condition the entire jacket by hand-rubbing every panel and seams with a combination of Pecard Leather Dressing, saddle conditioner, and our own secret sauce. Rub, rub, rub… all along making sure to not apply conditioner to the corduroy facing nor to the flesh side.
5) Let the sun dry-up the leather again, then repeat steps above according to results and desired effect… This can take months, and feels like a full-time job after a while!

Each Campus specimen reacts differently to this whole process, according to the specifics of the hides used in the construction, which part of a hide each panel is cut from, the leather grain, the amount of conditioning and rubbing, length of exposure, UV levels, etc… Some hides tan much faster than others, some develop warmer tones than others, giving each jacket its own character.
Because of their uniqueness after this treatment, we are providing measurements for each jacket, following our usual sizing method.

Please note that we just wanted to kick-start the process of a natural patina, not ‘distress’ the jacket or mimic a vintage patina. These few select MF® Campus jackets “Sunshine” edition definitely remain a DIY project for the future owner, they have 100% life left in them, as they have not been weakened by industrial “vintage” distressing.
Actually wearing the garment is the only way to develop an authentic wear-and-tear patina, arm creasing, daily nicks and scratches, natural staining, leather stretching and cracking, … eventually achieving the ultimate lived-in patina that tends to make well-made ‘heritage’ garments more valuable and appealing used than new. It definitely contributes to our MF® humble rags maintaining their resale value, keeping them cherished as heirlooms and away from fast-fashion landfills.

We are offering a few limited sizes for now, and inventory will be according to our ability to process more, time, weather, etc… Again, some of these “Sunshine” specimen have actually started their high-maintenance tanning/conditioning journey more than a year ago, not exactly a click away on Amazon for restock! New inventory will be added to this post when available.

If interested in the style and design background of the original Mister Freedom® Campus Jacket, please refer to the original 2013 post for the full specs.

The naturally “aged” MF® Campus Jacket “SUNSHINE” edition in veg-tanned cowhide leather is designed, made, and organically processed in California by Mister Freedom®.

Limited sizes soon available from www.misterfreedom.com
These few Campus “SUNSHINE” Jackets are not part of the on-going sale.

Thank you for your support.

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020

Protected: Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane mfsc FW2020 collection preview: “TRUCK STOP”, “WATERFRONT SURPLUS”, and “SPORTSMAN” (made in USA and Japan)

Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf “Rock’n’Roll” Shirt, SS2020 “CATALINA” edition. Made in Japan.

Catalina Island vintage inspiration.

Fun and informative tour of vintage Avalon with mid-century pop culture connoisseur Charles Phoenix, highlighting some of the port’s Art Deco heritage and local history.

Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf “Rock & Roll” shirt, “CATALINA” Edition.
mfsc SS 2020.
Made in Japan.

This splashy little number is our latest collaboration with the legendary Sun Surf® label, a branch of Toyo Enterprise known around the fashion world for its authentic and expertly-crafted Aloha shirts.
The family-owned Japanese company’s CEO, Mr. Ryoichi Kobayashi, is an avid collector of vintage Hawaiiana. His rare shirt collection has been featured in museum exhibits and in several books. Kobayashi San’s knowledge, demanding standards, and team of textile and tailoring experts, all contribute to well-curated collections of replica 1930’s to 1950’s rayon and silk tropical shirts every year. Check them out for all your “From Here to Eternity” urges, and refer to the “Land Of Aloha” book for the history behind the SUN SURF label, previously mentioned here.

We started our collaboration with SUN SURF back in 2015, kicking it off with the first of our “Rock & Roll” shirt, the “Action Packed” model, released in a white, red and black blend of rayon-cotton. 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.
To compliment our SS2019 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection (story here), we then designed the “Yucatán Fiesta”, released in black and white printed rayon fabric options.

This year’s Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf collaboration owes its inspiration to the hospitality and kindness of a fine group of good humans (Allynn, Jillian, John USMC VEB, Dave…) connected to a quiet place some 26 miles off the port of San Pedro in Southern California… There, about an hour ferryboat ride away, lays the island of Catalina, also known as Santa Catalina.
If you live in LA, chances are you are familiar with this small resorty island, with its notorious roaming buffalos, colorful local-made ceramic tiles heritage, and 25-year long waiting list to own a car. For Angelenos, the place is an exotic yet-affordable quick island getaway. It is quite an international tourist destination as well.

Tina and I had visited Avalon (Catalina’s main harbor) many years ago, but spending a few R&R days around Fourth of July there last year, courtesy of afore-mentioned kind-hearted and generous friends, sure put a new spin on the place. Perfect company definitely made for a much richer experience of Catalina, and not just because of the fabulous annual tricked-out golf cart parade!
Thanks to Allynn and family, her house guests at the time, including a few very knowledgeable Catalina Island Conservancy locals, we discovered new hidden facets of the popular California destination. One of the guests at the time, mid-century pop culture connoisseur Charles Phoenix turned informal island guide for the occasion. Charles lead us through an improvised city walk highlighting Avalon’s still-standing iconic structures, while providing fascinating background snippets of Catalina’s modern history.

In a nut shell, the island was purchased by chewing-gum magnate William WRIGLEY in 1919, with the goal of living there and developing it for tourism. He hired the graphic design power couple Dorothy and Otis Shepard to lead the Wrigley’s product advertising department, promoting Catalina island via attractive billboards and pamphlets. (This is the part relevant to our shirt, as the Shepard’s Art Deco style would prove quite inspirational for me later.)
By the 1930s, the place had become a getaway for wealthy Californians, a playground for many in the Hollywood entertainment industry in its Golden Age (Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable,…), a natural movie set for western movies, and an exotic venue for live popular music as countless big bands played the famous local Casino (not a gambling hall, but a ballroom with a 6,000 dancers floor capacity) in the 30’s-40’s.
After the traumatic 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the island was deserted by most of its inhabitants fearing a Japanese invasion, and turned into a Top-Secret US Army military base…
Today, with its mid-century architecture legacy, Art Deco heritage, iconic tiles accents, Mediterranean Revival charm, and bygone vintage California laid-back style, the island is well-worth the ferry ride to escape from the busy city life and crowded freeways for a few days.

Anyways, after good old times were had, came the dreaded wake-up call that a printed fabric design needed to be submitted to our Sun Surf friends like… yesterday! With a head full of happy memories, I figured that Catalina’s famous harbors, classic history and iconic fauna (the orange Garibaldi fish, iconic flying fish,…) would be a perfect theme for the original artwork of our 2020 “Rock ’n’ Roll” shirt. I started doodling, very limited by my own abilities but very inspired by the genius Art Deco works of the Sheppards, Catalina island period travel advertising, and the amazing tiled underwater scenes and Art-Deco meets Art Nouveau murals of the Catalina Casino designed by John Gabriel Beckman. The shirt’s two “Deco” divers are a reference to the 1927 “Wrigley Ocean Marathon”.
After a lot of back and forth with the Sun Surf textile experts regarding graphic repeats, artwork cut-outs, characters positioning, color combinations, etc…, from the amount of air bubbles to the size of the divers, one version was finally selected as an Aloha-vibe fabric print, and released in two distinct classic body color options.

And there goes the saga of the SS2020 MF® x Sun Surf CATALINA Rock’n’Roll shirt!

The Mister Freedom® “CATALINA” 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, white or black.

DETAILS:
* Limited edition collaboration with the Sun Surf® label.
* Body pattern inspired by classic vintage 1940’s-50’s Aloha shirts.
* All original MF® fabric print inspired by slices of Catalina Island 20th Century history, and a few good humans.
* 1940’s-style open ‘loop’ collar.
* Matching-pattern chest pockets.
* Tonal corozo wood buttons.
* MF® x Sun Surf® “Rock & Roll” woven rayon label and “Yucatán” 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.

SIZING/FIT:
Both white and black “Rock & Roll” CATALINA shirts come ready-to-wear 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 the CATALINA. 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:
Professional DRY CLEAN ONLY, in your local eco-friendly facility.

When traveling, a quick fix to remove rayon fabric wrinkles is to hang the shirt in the bathroom while showering (not in the shower), and let the steam do its thing.

Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
Small (14-14½)
Medium (15-15½)
Large (16-16½)
X-Large (17-17½)
XX-Large (18-18½)

Available from www.misterfreedom.com and fine retailers around the World for now, and locally from our Los Angeles brick & mortar store whenever we are allowed to re-open.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.

Mister Freedom® “STANLEY” Tees, SS2020 colors round-up. Made in USA.

Mister Freedom® “STANLEY” Tees, tubular slubby cotton jersey.
SS2020 colors round-up, Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.

Still made in USA, still unassuming yet still relevant after its introduction to the Mister Freedom® “SPORTSMAN catalog in 2015, our STANLEY Tee welcomes a new member to its color palette for Spring 2020, an irresistible funky-fresh shade of aqua blue!
The design journey was previously documented with abundant ramblings, references and vintage photography, so this just updates the color options with the MF® flavor-of-the-month, following the introduction of the classic Brown 436 in the Skivvy Tee model.
Our website also reflects a full re-stock on previously-introduced colors, long sold-out in some sizes.
Please note that due to some technical issues, one might have to occasionally empty the browser’s cache in order to properly view and shop our online store.
Additionally, we are also working on re-stocking up the MF® Shop Tees section, the silk-screened version of our Stanleys with original MF® graphics, including the dreaded four-head monster, the MF® Ranch and other favorites.
Please note that both MF® SKIVVY and STANLEY tubular Tee models are available as a Two-Pack option. Individually priced at $69.95 per shirt, a two-pack can be purchased at a substantial saving for $124.95. The packaging consists of a simple lightweight cardboard box, reminiscent of old military stenciled ammo metal boxes.
Each two-pack box contains two identical solid T-shirts (sorry, no style/model/color/size combination or substitution.)

The Stanley Tee is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA.

SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% cotton light-weight slubby tubular jersey knit, milled in the USA.
This fabric twists and torques, like that of all-cotton vintage T-shirts. This natural yarn distortion is expected and not a default.

COLORS:
* Aqua Blue (New 2020 release)
* Gold (Yellow)
* Red
* Royal Blue
* Jungle Green (Olive)
* White
* Black

DETAILS:
* Original Mister Freedom® pattern, inspired by vintage 1940′s-50′s cotton T-shaped undershirts.
* Old school 1/4 sleeve length.
* Tubular knit (no side seams)
* Cover stitch self-fabric neckband.
* Normal mechanical stretch and fabric memory.
* Combination of flatlock and cover stitch construction, inspired by 1940′s USMC Government issued undershirts.
* 100% cotton thread, for natural roping on seams.
* Original MF® “The Sportsman” black woven rayon label on neck band.
* Made in USA.

SIZING/FIT:
The white options comes unwashed and will shrink to the desired tagged size after an initial wash/dry cycle. All color options have already shrunk to the desired size.
The Stanley fits like the Skivvy does, but due to the nature of its stretchy jersey, the Stanley might feel looser at first.
I wear Medium (38) on most MFSC garments, but sized down to a Small for both MF® Stanley and Skivvy, just personal taste. According to your built and silhouette preference, get your normal size or size down for a slimmer/shorter old school fit.
Refer to sizing chart below for washed/machine dried approximate measurements (measured flat, without pulling/stretching).

CARE:
Low-maintenance as a T-Shirt should be, just throw your Stanley in the washer/dryer, cold or hot water, delicate cycle. No bleach. Keep colors separate to avoid potential color transfer when doing laundry.

SIZES:
Small
Medium
Large
XLarge

Only available from www.misterfreedom.com until our Los Angeles brick & mortar store can safely reopen.
Please note that due to some technical issues, one might have to occasionally empty the browser’s cache in order to properly view and shop our online store. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working on these issues.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.

Thank you for your support and stay safe.

Mister Freedom® Chemise “MARINA”, Indigo Blue & Daffodil Yellow Cotton Pique edition, SS2020 mfsc “Yucatán” Collection. Made in Japan.

: MF® Chemise Marina also available in red.

: MF® Chemise Marina also available in black.

: MF® Chemise Marina also available in white.

Mister Freedom® Chemise “MARINA”, Cotton Pique, Indigo Blue & Daffodil Yellow edition.
SS2020 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection.
Made in Japan.

Our recurring “YUCATÁN” capsule collection concept was previously introduced during Spring 2019, with the Californian Lot.674 Piqué release.
The vibe of that menswear venture is sporty, racy, with a touch of sixties-beachcomber-meets-desert-rat. It is a concise, full-throttle yet-unassuming contemporary collection for grown-ups who have a penchant for classic designs.

The following bit, our take on a slice of costume history, was previously shared in the original post, but the MF® Chemise “MARINA” is our humble twist on the traditional “polo shirt” pattern, so called due to its initial association with the ancient sport of polo. The activity of polo, the “Sport of Kings”, was imported by the Brits in the mid 1800’s, from Manipur, India. Along came the buttoned-down collar style of shirts sported by the local teams of horsemen. This classic garment’s history gets confusing since the term “polo shirt” evolved over time to encompass differing styles.
In the 1890’s, Brooks Brothers introduced its own original so-called “Polo Shirt”, in oxford cotton. That formal design is known today as the “Button-Down” shirt, an office favorite. Brooks Brothers’ specimen, which used to be Made in USA, can be recognized by their embroidered Golden Fleece chest logo.
In the 1920’s, French tennis player René Lacoste thought of revamping the impractical attire of his own sport of choice, white slacks and starched white shirts. His original design was a pull-over shirt in cotton piqué knit, featuring short sleeves with ribbed cuffs molding to the biceps, a rib knit collar that could be flipped-up to protect from the sun, and a “tennis tail”, a longer back panel to prevent untucking while playing.
His sporty design became the “Chemise Lacoste”, establishing the traditional pattern of the tennis shirt, or “polo” style, as it is commonly referred-to today. It rapidly spread to other sports, from golf courses to marinas, becoming a staple of casual menswear.
In the early 1970’s, Ralph Lauren introduced his own “Polo shirt”, pitching its galloping player against the hissing crocodile, adding to the confusion with the “polo” vs. “Polo” terminology, but cementing the design into its contemporary preppy demeanor.
As a casual, sporty, comfortable yet elegant, versatile and time-tested garment, polos were adopted by many stylish men through the years. Period photos abound: a young Steve McQueen hanging, Sean Connery bonding, JFK yachting, Clint Eastwood parroting…

If Fedex® and Pizza Hut® also offer their own versions of chest-branded polos today, it is in the popular 1950’s and 1960’s styles that we found inspiration for the Mister Freedom® Chemise “MARINA”.
Our ribbed knit underarm expansion gusset is a familiar classic design detail lifted off vintage sportswear polos, but the choice of chest logo took a little longer to come-up with. We’d seen them all, embroideries or patches: the entire Noah’s Ark (from tigers to dragons), wreaths, golf bags, trophies, umbrellas, skulls, mounted knights, crowns, anchors, cartoon characters, monograms, plain DBA’s, … some more clever than others.
We were aiming for something unique yet classic, elegant yet somewhat witty, unpretentious yet enticing, maybe with a nautical flair?.. We definitely wanted to stay clear from pure in-your-face branding, and picking another animal from the zoo didn’t cut it.
So, after days at the drawing board, we eventually settled on a maritime signal flag gimmick! Diagonal white cross on blue background is international naval code for Mike, the letter “M”. Red diamond on white background is Foxtrot, “F”. Serendipitously, an hoisted Mike flag warns “our vessel is not moving”, and a Foxtrot flag signals “we are disabled”.
In other words, “Sacré bleu! HELP!” The MF® Design Department was adamant that such semiotics would most effectively convey an earnest and reliable brand image.

The MF® Chemise “MARINA” was initially released in three classic color options: red, black, and white cotton piqué. For FW, we are introducing an indigo blue and a daffodil yellow version.

The Chemise “MARINA” is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:
FABRIC:
Fine 100% cotton knit piqué, soft and light-weight, milled in Japan.
Two new color options for SS2020:
a) Indigo Blue (genuine vat-dyed indigo).
b) Daffodil Yellow.

DETAILS:
* An mfsc pattern inspired by classic 1950’s-1960’s “tennis” or “polo” type shirts.
* Piqué knit body.
* Original Mister Freedom® “MF 7161” maritime signal flag embroidered chest logo patch.
* Rib knit underarm expansion gusset.
* Versatile ribbed collar.
* Short sleeves with ribbed cuffs.
* Side slits with HBT tape reinforcement construction.
* Subtle “Tennis tail” (1 ½ inch difference between front and back length.)
* Genuine Nacre (Mother of Pearl) fancy buttons.
* Original Mister Freedom® mfsc “Chemise MARINA” rayon woven neck label.
* Made in Japan.

SIZING/FIT:
All color options of the Chemise “MARINA” come pre-rinsed and tumble-dried.
The shirts are therefore pre-shrunk and ready-to-wear. These feature more of a ‘vintage’ silhouette than your average contemporary polo shirts.

I went for a Medium with the Chemise “MARINA”, with a comfortable fit.
For info, I usually opt for Small in Mister Freedom® knitwear – Stanleys and Skivvies, Tricot Marin, GI Henley – due to a subjective preference for old-school silhouettes rather than contemporary streetwear vibes.
The cotton pique knit body has quite a mechanical stretch (the fabric naturally stretches if you pull on it), but will pretty much recover and retain its initial shape.
Please refer to sizing chart, reflecting fully-rinse and tumble-dried measurements. All shirts come pre-shrunk.
CHART

CARE:
Wash when necessary.
Hand-wash or machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Consider the Chemise “MARINA” as a delicate garment, and do not launder with clothing containing sharp hardware (metal buttons, metal zippers, hooks,…) to avoid snagging the pique knit fabric and overall damage to the shirt.

Available rinsed/pre-shrunk.
Color options: Indigo Blue or Daffodil Yellow.
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 when it re-opens, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support and stay safe.