Mister Freedom® SECOYA Shirt (“McG” plaid heavy flannel) & DUDE RANCHER Western Snap Shirt (Indigo-covert plaid & Brown dobby stripe) FW2021 mfsc Surplus Catalog. Made in Japan.

 

Mister Freedom® SECOYA Shirt, “McG” plaid heavy flannel FW2021 edition.
mfsc Surplus Catalog.
Made in Japan.

The SECOYA pattern combines two vintage garments, a rare 1930’s pull-over chin-strap work chambray with no label, and a 1940’s STURDY OAK work chambray with elaborate “Double-Panel” construction.
The defunct STURDY OAK label, the workwear division of Sears, Roebuck & Co, produced its famous “Double-Back / Double-Shoulder Yoke / Double-Underarm” pattern, often complimented with “Ventilation Eyelets”. Other bygone mail-order catalog companies such as Montgomery Ward & Co, Spiegel or JCPenney also offered their versions in the 1940’s -50’s, all full open button front shirts. We thought of combining the fancy “Double-Panel” pattern with a pull-over type shirt, and the MF® SECOYA was born.
The term Secoya is Bad Hombre parlance for sequoia, a semantic nod to the vintage Sturdy Oak specimen that inspired this MF® pattern.

The “McG” is the third model of our SECOYA.
The original Mister Freedom® “SECOYA” pattern was introduced sometime during Spring 2019, and was initially released in a fine 3 Oz. indigo yarn “NTC” chambray, a fabric familiar to all mfsc OGs as it was the same indigo chambray used for the 2008 “Naval Clothing Tailor” Utility Shirt. That chambray fabric ages quite gracefully.

Well-worn MF® SECOYA Shirt, NCT chambray, 2019.

Inspired by “Big Mac” or “Five Bros” type heavy flannel work shirts, the follow-up model was the SECOYA “Winter King”, 8.25 Oz. indigo x red woven plaid, released during FW2020.

For FW2021, we pulled the fabric inspiration off a vintage 1950s McGregor wool shirt from our archives. If we wanted to closely replicate the unusual turquoise & red yarns combo of the original plaid pattern, we decided to replace the wool yarns by 100% cotton yarns. Our friends at Toyo Enterprises painstakingly milled this outstanding selvedge heavy flannel woven plaid for us in Japan. The SECOYA “McG” was born.

The “SECOYA” Double-Panel Ventilated Work Shirt, “McG” heavy flannel edition is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.

SPECS:

FABRIC:
Vintage-inspired 100% cotton classic woven plaid heavy flannel, turquoise & red dominant yarns, solid white selvedge ID, milled in Japan.

DETAILS:
* An original mfsc pattern, inspired by vintage 1930’s-1940’s classic American fancy chambray work shirts.
* Pull-over style.
* “Double-Back / Double-Shoulder Yoke / Double-Underarm” pattern.
* Stitched ventilation Eyelets on underarm and back panels, green thread.
* Selvedge side gussets.
* Chin strap.
* Natural poplin facing on front button placket/cuffs/chest pockets.
* White corozo wood “cat-eyes” buttons.
* Double chest pocketing, buttoned pockets.
* Concealed inside chest pocket, featuring the fabric selvedge.
* High-count 100% cotton tonal stitching, chainstitch construction.
* Original MF® mfsc “Surplus” woven rayon label.

SIZING/FIT:
The SECOYA “McG” heavy flannel Work Shirt comes raw/unwashed. It is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold rinse/line dry. 
We recommend this usual protocol before wear:

  • Cold soak for about 30-40mn with occasional hand agitation or one machine rinse cycle on delicate.
  • Washing machine spin dry.
  • Line dry. (No heat dryer)

We recommend wearing your usual mfsc shirting size, although I personally opted for a SMALL on the SECOYA heavy flannel. I am 5.7’’ approx. 150 Lbs.

Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/cold rinsed measurements. To reflect “real life” garment conditions, the shrink-tested shirts in the chart have been rinsed in a home washing machine, cold water, full spin cycle on delicate, and then line dried (no heat dryer.)

CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.

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®
©2021

 

 

 

Mister Freedom® DUDE RANCHER Western Snap Shirt, indigo-covert plaid & brown dobby stripe FW2021 edition.
mfsc Surplus Catalog.
Made in Japan.

The all-original Mister Freedom® DUDE RANCHER is our spin on the traditional “western snap” shirt. The design features the expected western-style front and back curved yokes and arcuate panels. The playful “M” branding on the chest pockets is disguised as decorative stitching. The tricked-out forearm pattern and intricate one-piece elbow/cuff reinforcement diamond-shaped placket is quite a garment construction tour de force, for anyone who knows his/her way around a sewing machine.

The shirts buttons are painted metal snaps, reminiscent of 50’s Ranchcraft or Blue Bell shirts, initially featured on the 2013 MF® Sportsman printed flannel Camp Shirts. If pearl snap buttons are more-commonly associated with traditional western shirts, these metal snaps are a bit more subdued and utilitarian.

The DUDE RANCHER pattern has been previously released in black and white broadcloth (cotton poplin), 1930s-inspired printed shadow plaid, light indigo vat-dye chambray, “Joan” woven plaid, and “101” selvedge denim.

FW2021 sees the return of the DUDE RANCHER, with two new distinct fabric additions to this list.

First is a rare selvedge 100% cotton woven plaid, combining indigo yarns, covert yarns (a.k.a. salt & pepper), and black yarns, in a sturdy, dry hand, 9 Oz. fabric.
The inspiration for this unusual yarn combo came from the check lining of a vintage 1940s French corduroy coat (in Velour d’Amiens). The lining was just too good not to be replicated as-is, so we had the textile experts at Toyo Enterprises painstakingly mill a selvedge rendition of it in Japan, woven on vintage traditional machinery.

The second option is a 10.25 Oz. dark brown Dobby Stripes brushed fabric, with a soft hand and cosy, wintery feel. The stripe pattern is subtle, and noticeable in the textured Dobby weave rather than from a contrasting color.

The DUDE RANCHER western snap shirt “Indigo-Covert” and “Brown Dobby Stripes” are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.

FABRIC:
Two options:
a) Indigo-Covert plaid: Dry 100% cotton woven plaid, 9 Oz., combining indigo, covert (salt & pepper), and black yarns. Solid white selvedge ID, milled in Japan.

b) Brown Dobby stripes: Soft hand brushed 100% cotton 10.25 Oz. dark brown Dobby Stripes fabric.

SPECS:
* An original mfsc pattern, inspired by traditional western-style shirts and 1950s-60s dude ranch outfits.
* Traditional western-wear arcuate front and back yokes.
* Attractive pointy pocket flaps, complementing the yoke pattern.
* 1950’s-style painted metal snaps (the paint will chip with age.)
* Tonal stitching.
* Original curvy “M” decorative stitching on pockets.
* Fancy diamond-shaped cuff/elbow reinforcement patch.
* Vintage style selvedge side gussets.
* Rounded shirt tails.
* 100% cotton hi-count stitching.
* Original MF® mfsc “TRUCK STOP” woven label.
* Made in Japan.

SIZING/FIT:
Both the “Indigo-Covert” and “Brown Dobby Stripes” DUDE RANCHER come RAW/unwashed. The shirt is cut so that the measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry. 
We recommend this usual protocol before wearing:

  • Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
  • Washing machine spin dry cycle.
  • Line dry. (No heat dryer)

We recommend wearing your usual mfsc shirting size, although I personally opted for a SMALL, for a trim, traditional western “cowboy” shirt fit, sizing down from my usual Medium in mfsc shirting. I am 5.7’’ approx. 150 Lbs.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.

CARE:
Machine wash on DELICATE, cold water, mild eco-friendly detergent. Hang dry.
Wash with similarly-colored garments.
Do not use the washer’s heavy-duty cycle. Heat dryer is also not recommended and may result in excessive shrinkage.

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®
©2021

September 13th, 2021 | Leave a comment

Mister Freedom® “Chemise Poilu”, FW2019 mfsc “PIOUPIOU” Collection, Cotton Dobby Stripe. Made in Japan.

Mister Freedom® “Chemise Poilu”, Cotton Dobby Stripe.
FW2019 mfsc “PIOUPIOU” Collection.
Made in Japan.

The Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane Co “Chemise Poilu” is the second shirting installment of the mfsc “PIOUPIOU” collection, a concept previously introduced in this post, loosely inspired by World events of the first half of the 20th Century.

The Grandfather of the M35 – the khaki uniform shirt issued to French troops in 1935 and the inspiration behind the MF® Liquette M35 – was a flannel pull-0ver collarless shirt introduced in 1878. Issued in stripe or small check patterns, that M1878 garment might seem like an odd choice for an official piece of WW1 uniform, even for the fashion-conscious French Army État Major! However, the civilian-looking shirt was concealed under a fully-buttoned tunic, and was only worn on the outside during rest periods, or chow time at camp.
When military tunics started featuring open collars the mid 1930s’s, the need for more ‘appropriate’ shirting became evident. In 1935, the M35 with its elegant and fashionable “Col Aiglon” was introduced, in a range of drab khaki colors. That specific Aiglon collar shape was a key design feature of our recently-released take on the M35, somehow demilitarized by our choice of fancy indigo linen and workwear stripe ticking fabrics.

The MF® interpretation of the M1878 is a departure from the vintage originals (see photo below of an authentic WW1 striped model and its characteristic period black ink chest marking), with their rudimentary pattern and tent-like dated fit. We actually pulled-out an old original mfsc pattern from the vaults for the body, the Chemise Hirondelle from our “Les Apaches” days of 2011. After tweaking pocketing and collar patterns, it morphed into a new shirt matching our Pioupiou story.

A key element was also the choice of fabric. We sourced out fancy shirting textiles from contemporary traditional bespoke tailoring catalogs and settled on two distinct cotton Dobby stripe fabrics. The white one is a striped combination of herringbone twill and sateen weave. The “Bleu Horizon” (sky blue) one is not a mere colored version of that, but a striped combo of sateen and poplin weave.
Interestingly, our fabrics are strikingly similar to vintage swatches included in a 1915-1916 supply catalog from the “BRÜNER WOOLEN Co, Importer and Manufacturers of Fine Tailors Trimmings”, preciously preserved in the MF® archives. The swatches are described as “French (and English) Mercerized Sateen”. The militaria collector will note that our pick of luxurious fabrics for the 2019 MF® Chemise Poilu is quite the departure from the utilitarian striped/checkered twills of authentic M1878 shirts, but you get the drift.

Shirring on the cuffs and back yoke also add a touch of fancy tailoring. Genuine bone button with subtle variations in color are an extra vintage reference to 1900’s shirting.
We adapted the collar of our 2011 Hirondelle to a stand collar band type, and revisited the pocket shapes to accommodate a mobile phone, more popular today than pocket watches. The curvy and mirrored pocket flap shape dates back to when we were getting quite creative with them!
The characteristic ‘dangling’ cloth tab at the bottom of the button placket was initially conceived to fasten to one’s breeches waist button in the old days, to guarantee shirts stay tucked-in. We kept the nod to the 1910’s-30’s, but added a button to secure the tab on the shirt, understanding this was a 100 year-old obsolete feature. Get creative and submit a potential use for that tab to the HQ, for a chance to be featured on the MF® store IG feed!
This release wraps the Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane Co FW2019 mfsc “PIOUPIOU” epic collection.

The MF® Chemise POILU is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.

For in-depth research on WW1 French uniforms, we recommend “L’Armée Française dans la Première Guerre Mondiale” (ISBN 10: 3902526106) from this publisher, and publications from Histoires & Collections.

SPECS:
PATTERN:
An original mfsc pattern inspired by vintage French military uniform shirts, Old World fancy tailoring and early utilitarian shirting.

FABRICS:
Two distinct cotton Dobby stripe option:
a) White: Fine 100% cotton, white background with woven blue and black pinstripe, alternating herringbone twill and sateen weave.
b) Blue: Fine 100% cotton, “Bleu Horizon” (sky blue) background with woven blue and navy stripes, alternating poplin and sateen weave.

DETAILS:
* Pull-over type, with front expansion pleat.
* Stand collar with chin strap.
* Genuine bone buttons, with subtle variations in natural colors.
* Original mfsc pocket shapes and flaps.
* Unbalanced chest pocketing. Elongated right pocket fits average mobile phone.
* Tab on button placket to secure to breeches’ waist button.
* Cuffs and back yoke shirring.
* Contrasting shirt tails, longer in back and rounded in front.
* Inside triangular side gusset reinforcement patches.
* Original mfsc “Pioupiou” woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.

SIZING/FIT:
Both fabric options of the MF® Chemise POILU come raw/un-rinsed.
We recommend the usual protocol for cotton shirts before wearing:
* Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
* Spin dry and line dry.

Both versions will fit the same following the above procedure. I am usually a Medium (15½) in mfsc shirting, and I opted for a  Medium in both fabric options, for a comfortable somewhat ‘period’ fit with a ‘vintage’ silhouette partly due to the extended rear shirt tail.
Extra (quite attractive) seam puckering will happen if using a heat dryer (on low), and will also result in extra (minimal) shrinkage as the seams pull.

We recommend getting your usual mfsc shirt size, but please refer to sizing chart for measurements, reflecting a 30-40mn cold soak/spin dry/line dry process. The raw measurements are given for reference only, as the numbers that actually matter are post soak. We do believe that, according to frequency of use, washable garments should be laundered when needed, and not kept ‘raw’.


CARE:
Launder when needed. Machine wash on gentle cycle, cold water, minimum eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.

Available RAW/unwashed.
SIZES:
14½ (Small)
15½ (Medium)
16½ (Large)
17½ (X-Large)
18½ (XX-Large)

Available from our Los Angeles red brick HQ, from www.misterfreedom.com, 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

 

October 28th, 2019 | One comment