 A strong CHANEL influence right here.
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Le TAP dance, but of course.
TAP Lézard “Vanden” Jacket, reversible quilted indigo twill x lizard camouflage.
SAIGON COWBOY Fall 2015
Following the release of the Mister Freedom® CDO Jacket, and in a similar Hmongs meets Commando vibe, here is the “Vanden” Jacket. This number will be the final addition to our “Saigon Cowboy” collection, wrapping our Spring and Winter 2015 South East Asia adventure.
Some quick semantics first…
If TAP stands for Troupes Aéroportées (Airborne troops, notorious for their tenue bariolée ‘lézard’), the name “Vanden” is a reference to Roger Vandenberghe. A French military legend, Vanden, as his peers called him, lead the famed Commando N°24 known as the Tigres Noirs (Black Tigers), one of the 45 units making-up the 5,400 men-strong Commando Nord Viet-Nam (1951-1954). Adjudant-Chef ‘Vanden’ would become one of the most decorated non-commissioned officer of the French Army, with most of his decorations earned during the Indochina conflict.
Strategic precursors of the CIA-devised CIDG paramilitary groups that would later take over with the US involvement in Vietnam, these French commando units consisted of men recruited amongst ethnic minorities of mountainous regions of Southeast Asia (Hmong, Nùng… of North Vietnam, Laos). Many defecting Viêt Minh personnel also joined the ranks. For either cultural, economic, ideological or territorial reasons, these Vietnamese nationals volunteered to fight alongside the French colonial troops, against the Ho Chi Minh-lead communists.
Routinely infiltrating enemy-controlled territory, these commandos often opted for uniforms incorporating NVA (North Vietnamese Army) gear, ‘black pajamas’, Chinese military quilted vest, headscarves, dark indigo-dyed garments and other un-conventional local favorites… as can be seen on period photography.
After flirting with death on countless perilous ops, Vanden was to meet his fate in his sleep, assassinated in 1952 by one of his own, a Viêt Minh gone-rogue recruit of the N°24 commando…
For more on that, francophones can refer to “Vandenberghe – Le Commando Des Tigres Noirs – Indochine 1947-1952” by Charles-Henry De Pirey (ISBN:9782914086059).
Photos of Vanden’s Black Tigers courtesy of “PR” on this blog.
Photo of Viet Minh prisoners courtesy of this site.
Photo of night river patrol ©Raoul Coutard, as featured in the book “Guerre Morte” (1954) (ISBN: B00WL1YZIE)
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Adjudant-chef Roger Vandenberghe Commando N24
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Vanden Commando N22
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Viet Minh prisoners, Chinese quilted vests.
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Night river patrol, 1950’s Indochina (Photo Raoul Coutard)
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4e Regiment d’Infanterie, Algerie, veste matelassée type I
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LCL Jeanpierre Algerie (1958), veste matelassée type II
Now comes our loose interpretation of all this…
The Mister Freedom® ‘Vanden’ jacket is by no means a replica of authentic Indochina period uniform, but rather a respectful attempt to link History with contemporary wearables, acknowledging a not-so-distant past, lest we forget. This jacket is an original garment that blends vintage aesthetics and references, not an endorsement of bygone imperialistic foreign policies, nor a glamorization of warfare.
The usual MF® spin was put on a 1950’s French Army Type 1 veste matelassée (often seen rolled up atop the rucksack during the French Army Algerian campaign, 1954-1962), an NVA black-dyed vest,… and vintage sportswear field gear. The result is an hybrid jacket featuring double indigo twill on one side, and our version of the traditional camouflage lézard introduced with the Garrison Trousers and Caban Peacoat on the other.
This jacket is fully reversible, featuring a “TYE Tokyo” metal zipper with double-sided pull courtesy of Toyo Tailor, the skilled Sukajan makers of the Mister Freedom® Party Jacket, our special Spring 2015 illiterate keyboard cowboy stimulator.
 Party Jacket and TAP ‘Vanden’ Jacket The “Vanden” can be worn and zipped-up montagnard side out, or jungle side out. Please note that we left it up too you to customize the pull with your own scoubidou or Paracord tab, as the jacket comes without one.
The “Vanden” features 6 pockets altogether, lower expandable snap flap pockets inspired by French military TAP field jackets, and two camo side chest pockets, quite convenient to store sunglasses or iPhone.
The wool knit cuffs and collar band are mil-specs, courtesy of Buzz Rickson’s.
On a somewhat insignificant note, I have come to like the old stretched-out cuffs of vintage jackets that have been through the wringer, and an easy way to achieve that look is to roll-up the knit cuff on the arm part when the weather permits. Once pulled back down, the cuffs will look ‘sloppily perfect’. This defeats the purpose of keeping the wrist section air-tight, triggering the usual slave-to-style issue, be cool or stay warm, for those of us blessed with such First World dilemmas.
The bottom of the jacket features side expansion wool knit gussets, a vintage-inspired detail we already used on the Chiller Vest, an old Mister Freedom® garment from our 2010 “Speed Safe” collection. This features comes handy when the jacket is fully zipped-up and you are at the wheel.
For the inner padding, we opted for a 100% polyester fiber thermal fill, great for warmth but not too bulky to avoid the Michelin Man look. The square-shape quilted pattern is only featured on the indigo side of the body. The arms are not quilted but still feature a thin thermal padding.
The TAP Lézard ‘Vanden’ Jacket is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Montagnard side: “Double indigo twill”, a very dark (almost black) indigo warp and indigo weft 100% cotton denim twill, 12.4 Oz., white selvedge ID. Milled in Japan.
Jungle side: 100% cotton HBT ‘lizard’ camouflage fabric, milled and printed in Japan.
Inner padding: 100% polyester fiber thermal fill.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by 1950’s Indochina War military gear and vintage outdoor garments.
* Fully reversible.
* 4 bottom expanding pockets with snap flap, with two extra chest pockets on the lizard side.
* 1950’s sukajan style reversible “TYE Tokyo” metal zipper with double pull tabs.
* 100% polyester fiber filling with minimal ‘puffiness’.
* Mil-specs wool knit cuffs, collar band and side expansion gussets.
* Square-shape quilting pattern on the indigo side.
* Olive green 100% cotton thread.
* Snap down collar lapels.
* Concealed woven Saigon Cowboy label stitched inside pocket flap.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The “Vanden” Jacket comes raw/unwashed and we recommend an initial cold soak (~30mn) with occasional hand-agitation to insure total immersion. Spin cycle and line dry. This jacket is quite bulky and heavy when wet, so do not attempt a full washing cycle as this might damage both your jacket and your washing machine.
This jacket is true to size, and a Medium (38) fits like a snug Medium by mfsc standards. I wear a Medium with enough room for a sweatshirt or denim jacket underneath. This is a rather fitted jacket, depending of course on your build, proportions and choice of size.
Please refer to sizing chart for cold rinse/line dry approximate measurements.
CARE:
Launder when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails.
We recommend professional cleaning in your local eco-friendly facility. If not practical, hand wash or machine wash on DELICATE in large capacity washer to avoid damaging both jacket and machine. Cold water, delicate cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. We recommend turning indigo blue/denim garments inside out to avoid marbling when washing. Un-zip jacket before washing.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
WARNING: The double indigo twill will naturally bleed, and minimal color transfer to light color garments or furniture is to be expected. Indigo transfer will wash-off overtime.
Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
RETAIL $699.95
Soon available from www.misterfreedom.com, fine retailers around the World, and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for reading and for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom® 2015
Mister Freedom ® Sportsman Slacks, HBT cotton-linen.
“The Sportsman” Fall 2015, made in USA.
A bit challenging to take this show back on the road in the wake of the recent events in Paris… Times like these put things in perspective a bit, rendering any kind of fashion-related discussions perfectly incongruous for me. Those feeling unconcerned due to geographical distances or pressing fabric shrinkage concerns might want to fast-forward to the fascinating washing instructions and sizing chart below.
Personally, i’ll pause for a second and throw down a few random thoughts instead of a sales pitch.
Dumbfounded by what happened, I have been trying to wrap my head around that tragedy by clinging on to live debates and analysis on Radio France and other sources, almost non-stop since hearing the news on Friday. If the average French citizen was utterly stunned by the unexpected suicide attacks on their capital city, well-informed criminology experts such as Alain Bauer sounded well aware that a blow from ISIS was not a matter of if but when and where.
Although the DGSI, France’s counter-terrorism agency, has been stealthily working overtime to avoid havoc in the homeland, discreetly thwarting about 90% of the attacks according to some sources, French authorities agree that zero-risk is an illusion in a democracy. Totalitarian regimes have the recourse of chopping-off every single head sticking out in opposition, temporarily guaranteeing an illusion of order. But France has moved on from the Dark Ages a while back, and is more likely to be remembered by distant future generations for its cultural legacy, lessons in art de vivre or contributions to the world of Arts and Letters. The French, having stormed La Bastille (the King’s state prison) in 1789, are not ready for Guantanameaux-Les-Bains, and are too attached to their privacy to comply with modern surveillance. They like their freedom, bequeathed to them by ancestors who fought and died for it. They drink, eat, smoke, complain, talk, vote, drive, swear, fuck, protest, create, sin, mock and basically behave with the apparently unrestrained freedom that only a very old democracy is comfortable seeing its citizens enjoy.
In retaliation for the Charlie Hebdo events in January, and in accordance with an international coalition that includes the United States, the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) was instructed to pay an aerial visit to known terrorists-training camps in Syria. By late September, the first French bombs were dropped. It might not have been evident to French nationals at the time, but a country that bombs another, is officially at war with it. Granted ISIS is not an actual country, but land sprawling through Iraq and Syria claimed by islamist degenerates via a religious scam, a venture mainly funded by revenues from the local multi-million-dollar oil trade. Some of that profitable business is conducted with the local official tyrant, Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad, ISIS’s sworn enemy… Get it? Don’t worry about it, it’s far.
In the past 4 years, this insanity has scattered over 4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, and beyond. The ranks of fleeing legit migrants have been said to also be infected by terrorist cells at times, delighted to be welcomed with open arms by faraway European nations with a penchant for the Droits De l’homme.
If one can only stare at that soup sandwich with perplexity, being aware of some of its ingredients might be a clue that sending troops won’t change much on the ground. As precisely-targeted as technology allows airstrikes to be, and as legitimate as the emotional urge for revenge triggered by the horror of the provocation may feel, the solution probably resides in geopolitical maneuvers rather than in talion-like military ops. Dropping another twenty bombs on Raqqa, ISIS stronghold with its inevitable city dwellers, sounds like a good plan for turning pissed-off locals into jihadist recruits.
Which brings me to the point that, given the opportunity, educating oneself is not only a must but a civic duty. A bit of reading has never hurt anyone at the voting booth. Foreign policies do have an impact at home. The famous motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, originally followed by “ou la mort” -or death-, inherited from the French Revolution, is still today an inspiration for many around the world.
Acquiring and sharing knowledge appears to be a universally reliable way to not lose the big race against stupidity, constantly exemplified by what humans do to others humans, and the environment.
Philanthropy has never been my strength, and I must confess of my tolerance for ignorance shrinking everyday. As connected miniature personal computers rapidly become the norm in modern societies, granting us access to an endless and invaluable wealth of knowledge, professional expertise, enlighten analysis, modern exegesis and intelligent reflections, I think that one has less of an excuse for being a plank in the 21st Century than, say, during the days of medieval Crusades.
Social media platforms are great knowledge-spreading tools, free and accessible to many, albeit mostly wasted on boring trivialities and cat videos. For those frustrated with the pathetic kitchen sink quality of their newsfeed, words and images, one easy trick does wonders. Harsh but tried and true. Unfollow acquaintances! Replace the flow of numbing brain pollution by meaningful content from various reliable sources of your choice. Historical facts, scientific vulgarization, travel logs, research updates, space exploration, world news, archeological discoveries, philosophical debates, societal discussions… all have the advantage of leaving one better equipped to hopefully make intelligent decisions in life.
You might not get a visual on Bruce’s awesome cappuccino on time anymore, but a bit of awareness about the world out there should help ease the void. Bruce and you will still be friends, but acknowledging no one cares about relentless Youtube recommendations, poorly-lit food photography and other navel-gazing considerations, he might reciprocate and unfollow, thereby saving precious bandwidth and brain cells for worthy material. Everyone wins. Less idiots, less keyboard cowboys anonymously voicing uneducated opinions publicly, less music video comments to sift through to reach a spark of relevance, and, i’m stretching here, maybe less desperate acts of frustration with horrific consequences in the physical world.
On November 13, 2015, a handful of ignorant brain-washed cretins on a fool’s errand cowardly mowed down and blasted un-armed civilians enjoying an evening of live music in a Parisian concert hall, and others peacefully celebrating the good life amongst friends at a terrace… One of the 130 victims might have lived on to discover a cure for cancer, a formula for the water-fueled engine, or written the prettiest music in the world, that people listen to when they’re sad… but I guess we’ll have to wait on that. Thanks, assholes.
I’m no militant, no activist and no altruist either, pay no mind to conspiracy-theory nut jobs, don’t like being lectured, and admit being turned-off when faced with constant preaching, whatever the charity. But eradicating obscurantism is a good cause, and it starts right at home.
There are times when pulling your head out of the sand to gasp for air is urgent.
CL
With that out of the way, the Sportsman Slacks are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Revisited MF® Vaquero denim jeans style from our !Viva La Revolución! 2013 collection.
An original pattern inspired by early European trousers and work dungarees.
FABRIC:
Same fabric used for the Faro britches, waistcoat and sack coat.
“Gun Powder” black (between field grey and dark laurel green), wide HBT (herringbone twill), selvedge, 20% Cotton/80% Linen blend, 15 Oz. Woven in Japan.
Pocketing and waist Lining: Same fabric used for recently-released Sportsman Appaloosa shirt, New Old Stock HBT denim, 100% cotton herringbone twill denim, subtle vertical stripe design, origin USA.
DETAILS:
* Vintage trousers-type construction.
* “Cowboy” front pocket opening
* Early type ‘donut’ metal waist button, brown corozo wood fly buttons.
* Back welt pockets.
* Side cinch straps, with NOS vintage French metal buckles.
* Selvedge leg side seam.
* Long inseam, overlocked bottom hem, for your cuffing preference (hemmed, double hemmed, rolled…)
* Turn-of-the-century style flared waistband (narrower in back)
* Slim belt loops (trousers style)
* All cotton thread tonal stitching
SIZING/FIT:
The Sportsman Slacks come unwashed/raw. We recommend an original 20-30mn cold soak and line dry.
These fit true-to-size and are tagged to reflect measurements after that initial process (about 2-5% shrinkage to be expected). If you are usually a 32 waist, get a tagged 32. The fit is comfortable yet quite flattering.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
 MF® Sportsman Slacks HBT Fall 2015 CARE:
Subsequent cleaning should be done with the trousers flipped inside/out (to avoid marbling), gentle cycle, cold water, with minimal environmentally friendly detergent and line dry. Natural fading of this fabric is to be expected with normal repeat wash/wear cycles.
NOTE: Full washing cycle in hot water and machine dry WILL result in maximum shrinkage and noticeable color loss. NOT recommended.
Available Raw/unwashed
Sizes (W stands for Waist)
W 28
W 29
W 30
W 31
W 32
W 33
W 34
W 36
W 38
Retail $309.95
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® 2015
 “I could use a jacket right now…”
James Coburn (1968)
MF® Cowboy Jacket, NOS wheat denim, made in USA
Sportsman Fall 2015
Introducing another finer than frog hair treat for the International Man of Action à la Derek Flint, a sensational bucking number, runway winner, the playboy’s choice and bruiser’s favorite, the much-anticipated Mister Freedom® Cowboy Jacket!
Kick it in wheat!
Relentlessly keeping our fingers on the pulse of the World of Fashion, you know us, we are quite ecstatic about adding a new denim jacket pattern to our Sportsman catalog this Fall. The Ranch Blouse now has a pardner.
With Labor Day long gone in the rear view mirror, we are doubling the euphoria by releasing a WHEAT denim version of this Cowboy Jacket, cut from a limited yardage of New Old Stock natural-colored selvedge denim.
A prevalent concern since 1894, sporting white garments in public between the first Monday of September and the last Monday of May has been deemed a style faux pas by the enlighten chosen few of the Fashion Taliban elite. This sounded like yet another mission for Mister Freedom®, so we teamed-up with an assembly of brain surjins surgeons to cook up a piece of accoutrement so adorable it is bound to muzzle that obsolete style diktat for at least an entire week.
Hear ye, hear ye, hello MF® wheat Cowboy Jacket, goodbye First World closet dilemmas.
Pushing the envelop even further, for a desirable Boogaloo Tuxedo effect, a nod to our talented and stylish friend CW Stoneking, may we recommend pairing your wheat Cowboy Jacket with a matching pair of wheat Californian Lot.74? May we? Mais oui, Johnny!
For the unconvinced, detailed tutorial on how to publicly embarrass your family is available here.
 Papy’s gon’ boogaloo Style-wise, our denim Cowboy Jacket is no stop-the-press type revolution, as it freely borrows from the familiar trucker-type denim jacket family of its legendary predecessors. Our specific pattern combines influences of several vintage iconic models, without doing a full literal cut/paste out of respect for the original long-established brands. The slanted yoke and chest pockets are a take on our Appaloosa Shirt, in turn influenced by 1950’s Sears & Roebuck denim ranchwear. The pocket flaps are adapted from our ‘classic’ denim Ranch Blouse. The cinch back strap was removed and replaced by buttoned cinch-waist tabs. The silhouette was trimmed for a more 60’s vibe.
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“Suvenirs, suvenirs” with Johnny Hallyday (Los Angeles 1994)
The MF® Cowboy Jacket is designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional trucker-type denim jackets, aka third-type jackets.
FABRIC:
Limited New Old Stock Cone Mills natural colored denim, 12.5 Oz., white/red line selvedge ID, sanforized. Milled in the USA.
DETAILS:
* Fairly trim silhouette, sixties vibe.
* Fabric selvedge displayed on inside front panels.
* Original MF® slanted flap chest pockets.
* Original brass cast MF® branded buttons.
* MF® yellow “M” stitching on pockets.
* Orange and yellow stitch combination.
* Blue 2×1 denim pocket flap lining.
* All cotton thread chainstitch construction.
* Buttoned cinch-waist tabs.
* Copper rivet backed by leather washers for pockets and sleeve placket reinforcements.
* Debossed leather MF® original patch.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT
The wheat denim Cowboy Jacket comes UN-WASHED and cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. This specific denim is sanforized, and very minimal shrinkage is to be expected.
I opted to size down from the Medium (38) I usually wear in msfc garments, and went for a Small (36) after deliberating a bit. The soaked/dry 36 fits tight and barely closes but i preferred it over the more roomy 38. What works is subjective and will depend on what silhouette one is comfortable and familiar with, as much as with the wearer’s body type.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
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Cowboy Jacket fit 38
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36 and 38 fits
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Cowboy Jacket wheat sizing
CARE:
Wash when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Please note that the debossed graphic on the leather patch will naturally ‘flatten out’ when soaked in water. As devastating as it is, this is normal.
DISCLAIMER: Some color transfer from the the leather patch and pocket flap blue denim lining to the wheat denim might occur after laundry. This will recede with subsequent washing cycles, as light-colored garments require frequent cleaning. DO NOT use hot water as this will increase chances of color transfer.
Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
X-Small (34)
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
Soon available from www.misterfreedom.com, fine retailers around the World, and our Los Angeles ol’ pile o’ rags.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2015
 And a free bowl of soup to the first reader who notices the upside down woven label on this early sample. Shipping not included. 
 Mister Freedom® HQ at 7161 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA. (Photo Tadashi Tawarayama 2015) CDO Jacket, Melton wool x indigo cotton twill combo
Saigon Cowboy Fall 2015
Following the recent release of the Mister Freedom® Caban Peacoat, and pushing further up the meanders of our Saigon Cowboy arroyos, here is a new number out of the bush: the ‘CDO Jacket’.
CDO stands for Commando, a respectful reference to Commandos Marine, the famed elite assault troops of the French Navy.
During France’s involvement in the Indochina War, mid-40’s to 1954, several Commandos Marine (Commando François, de Montfort, Jaubert, Tempête and Ouragan) joined forces with South Vietnamese troops on numerous operations from the Gulf of Siam to the Gulf of Tonkin. Whether navigating South China Sea waters, maneuvering Tonkin and Cochinchina waterways, or joining riverine operations around Annam deltas with the Divisons Navales d’Assaut (DINASSAUT), the Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FUSCO) played a very active role from the early stages of the conflict. These commandos were composed of both supplétifs (enrolled pro-French Indochinese nationals) and CEFEO troops from continental France.
For units assigned to Fleuve (Brown-water Navy) or Mer (blue-water Navy), deployments involved all kinds of fun tropical aquatic activities such as exhilarating adventures in leech-infested and mosquito-ridden mangrove. Cruising aboard US-made landing craft vessels recycled from WW2, or rudimentary river patrol Swift Boat-type precursors, many of these French commandos never reached the end of their 18-month tour.
Due to field isolation, some of these units were left to their own fate and judgement, often pictured sporting eclectic outfits more adapted to local conditions and personal preferences than showing concern for strict military regulations.
For those with a yen for vivid military slang, brown-water French sailors, ‘marins en kaki’ in Indochina, were poetically nicknamed ‘chie dans l’eau” by their airborne or infantry counterparts. ‘Dans l’eau’ translates to ‘in the water’. The verb is for you to guess.
In subsequent years, in and about Vietnam’s 12,000 miles of coastal terrain, American soldiers would in turn be instructed to board all kinds of riverine crafts, some actually inherited from the French flotillas, and confront the same Viet Minh (Vietnamese independentists) enemy, relabelled Viet Cong (Vietnamese communists) to better celebrate the pursuit of the Cold War festivities…
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Cdo Jaubert 1950 (Courtesy JY Seven)
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CDO Montfort (1949-51) Courtesy Musiolik René
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CDO Montfort 1951-53 (Courtesy O Walter)
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CDO Montfort LEMONNIER Louis (Tonkin 1951) Courtesy Sélo
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CDO Montfort MORVAN Joseph (Tonkin 1951-52)
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CDO Montfort Sélo 1950-52 Courtesy MISPELAERE André
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WW2 era LCVP, Dinassault crew in Indochina
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PBR 9th Division My Tho River (1968 AP photo)
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LST 97 Heavy Boat Company (1969) Courtesy Tom Poston 154th Transportation Company
Vintage photos courtesy of this Commandos Marine homage website.
Landing Ship Tank photo courtesy of this website.
Back on point.
Our ‘CDO Jacket’ is by no means a replica of 50’s French Indochina military gear, but instead a product of our questionable imagination. It mixes influences from different armies and periods, in order to create a wearable garment suitable for a peaceful 2015 bateau-mouche cruise. This jacket is the result of combining several vintage goodies in the MF® shaker: British Battledress, 1940’s US Army denim utility jacket, 1950’s French tenue de sortie (dress uniform) jackets, outdoor navy CPO-type civvy garments…
If the general pattern of the ‘CDO Jacket’ is adapted from our Spring 2015 denim Utility Jacket, the shell fabric we opted for is new to MFSC. This textured woven woolen fabric is reminiscent of 1960’s-70’s Melton wool CPO navy shirts, the common civilian kind we are all familiar with, featuring the classic black plastic anchor buttons. This fabric is different from the dense Kersey-type wool of early peacoats, or from the wool serge of typical 1940’s battledress/Ike jackets. It is more loosely woven, without the softer brushed finish, and with the woven pattern clearly visible from both sides.
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Vintage Melton navy CPO shirt
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1970’s wool CPO navy shirt
‘Black’ indigo is an important feature of Vietnam’s indigenous Degar People traditional attire, both men and women, in the form of dark loincloth, sarongs… Seemingly out of left field but as a subtle Montagnard reference , we have combined our navy blue woven wool fabric with the 16 Oz. indigo warp x black weft twill of our Caban Peacoat, in contrasting textures but blending colors. The two chest pockets, underarm gussets, and more importantly the collar top part, are all cut from that indigo cotton twill. The rest of the body is made of Melton-type wool. Those allergic to wool will appreciate the ‘CDO jacket’ collar not rubbing their neck.
To add another layer of historical references, our ‘CDO Jacket’ is fully lined with Buzz Rickson’s 100% cotton twill, printed with TSP (Tadpole Sparse Pattern) gold tiger stripe camouflage, the same fabric featured on the MF® Tiger Board Shorts.
Oh, and because we have way too much time on our hands, we also thought of hand-dyeing corozo wood buttons in our Mickey Mouse indigo vat, creating quite an impression in the neighborhood.
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Loiron of Arabia
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The fun begins when the strand breaks
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The ‘CDO Jacket’ is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Shell: Combination 100% wool, Melton-type, textured weave and 100% cotton twill, 16 Oz. indigo warp x black weft with white selvedge ID. Both fabrics are milled in Japan.
Lining: Buzz Rickson’s 100% cotton twill, printed with TSP (Tadpole Sparse Pattern) gold tiger stripe camouflage. Made in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Revisited general pattern of the classic US Army M1941 HBT Utility jacket.
* Contrasting fabric texture combination, melton wool and indigo cotton twill.
* Battledress-type waist length.
* Side cinch straps, mil-specs metal sliders.
* Concealed inner chest pocket.
* Indigo cotton twill top collar for neck confort.
* Indigo twill selvedge visible on inside pocket fold.
* ‘Bat sleeve’ pattern with indigo twill gusset for arm hole comfort.
* Expanding box pleat chest pockets, indigo cotton twill.
* Indigo-dyed corozo wood buttons.
* Adjustable wrist cuffs.
* ‘Oxidized’ black 100% cotton thread stitching.
* MFSC ‘tailleur‘ woven label on the inside waistband.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Our ‘CDO Jacket’ comes unwashed, is true to size, and meant to be professionally dry-cleaned.
However, for the adventurous few who like a bit of ‘torquing and roping’ in their fabrics, the jacket can be initially soaked in cold water for 20-30 mn, briefly hand agitated, and spun dry. Shape it a bit to your body by wearing it briefly before hanging and letting fully dry overnight. This process is not intended to shrink the jacket, but instead to ‘tone down’ the off-the-shelf look inherent to raw garments in general. The necessity of this step is left to everyone judgement and is merely a subjective suggestion.
Unlike its denim Utility Jacket predecessor I had opted to size down with, I wear a medium (38) in the CDO jacket.
Please refer to sizing chart for measurements.
 
CARE:
Professional dry-cleaning or hand-wash and hang-dry. Do NOT use hot water or throw the jacket in a dryer.
Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
RETAIL $629.95
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,
MF® 2015
 Perso Lot.74 blue jeans worn for about 2 months, laundered once.
Lot.74 Californian blue jeans, NOS Cone denim.
“The Sportsman” catalog, made in USA, Fall 2015.
Immediately following its recent New Old Stock wheat denim release, the new Mister Freedom® Lot.74 swept the nation overnight…
Rumors of ferocious shopping stampedes have been relayed by the media, said rumors now backed by strong unequivocal photographic evidence.
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Salut les filles…
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“OOOMG, the Lot.74 has arrived!!” (Courtesy “Confessions of a Shopaholic” 2009 Walt Disney Studios)
To mark the addition of the Lot.74 blue jeans pattern to the Sportsman catalog for Fall 2015, we thought of simultaneously issuing a compañero to our wheat denim amigo. Fresh-off a coveted California factory, this run is made from a handsome 12.5 Oz blue denim, limited yardage of NOS from Cone Mills found in a local warehouse. This righthand twill denim is of an attractive shade of indigo blue, featuring a white and red stripe selvedge ID.
The Californian Lot.74 is not just another iteration of previous Californian lots, and departs quite a bit from its Lot.64 or Lot.654 predecessors. For one, the fit has been trimmed significantly for a 60’s McQueenesque vibe, with a fitted top block and a straight leg from the knee on down. The Lot.74 are no jeggings (aka denim tights for the connoisseur) however, those being readily available elsewhere, raw and in all kinds of fierce and desirable chemical washes.
The lot.74 might be a good option for ‘smaller frame’ fit individuals looking for a period-proportioned seat/thigh/calf silhouette.
The keen eye will notice that McQueen, at an alleged 5’9 ½ and a waist 32 according to Western Costumes, opted to have some of his classic dungarees taken in from the knee down to achieve that specific visual balance. During his Johnny Strabler days in “The Wild One” (1953), Brando, at 5’8 and in a body-type league of his own, had the Columbia Pictures’ Costume Department alter his 501® from the knee down as well. Part of the popularity of the traditional five pocket jeans pattern, through decades of ever-changing fashion, might reside in its easily-altered outseam.
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Mc Queen in jerry-rigged denim (photo William Claxton 1965)
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Brando in altered denim (1953) Courtesy Getty Images.
The addition of an old school “Gripper Zipper” to our Californian is a nod to the supposed improvement that zip-fly jeans were over their button-fly model counterparts. If H.D. Lee® introduced his 101z slide-fastener fly cowboy jeans in 1926, and the Levi’s® suits-controlled design team started playing with them around 1951, it is not until the 1960’s that zippers evolved into a popular feature on most blue jeans. Today, zipper jeans are in general considered unfashionable and usually pooh-poohed by denimheads, somewhat of a convincing argument in itself to release a MF® version.
The rear pockets of the Lot.74 have been subjected to an overhaul, and are inspired by 60’s-70’s denim pocketing rather than the 1950’s influence of our original Lot.54. If the rear pockets top reinforcement stitching is still there, we have removed the hidden rivets, saving the Planet one copper rivet at a time.
The denim fabric selvedge is still inconspicuously featured on the outseam, the watch pocket fold and the overlocked fly placket. Our choice of pocket bag fabric for this season’s Lot.74 Californian is a solid navy blue 100% cotton pique, part of a NOS grouping of French workwear fabrics scored a while back.
The Sportsman “Californian” LOT.74 blue jeans are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional five-pocket type 1960′s-1970’s era blue jeans, traditional slim fit, straight leg from the knee down. The Lot.74 is our slimmest five-pocket jeans cut, and is as slim as we’ll go, with a silhouette similar to that of the Malibu’s and a mid-high rise.
FABRIC:
Limited New Old Stock Cone Mills indigo blue denim, 12.5 Oz., white/red line selvedge ID, unsanforized. Milled in the USA.
Pocket bags: French NOS navy blue cotton pique, from an old stock of French workwear fabric lot.
DETAILS:
* Five pockets.
* Zip fly, vintage-style brass ‘Gripper Zipper” pull.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads (gauge and color combination) used for construction. Main colors are yellow and orange.
* Re-designed rear pocket shape, featuring MF® original “M” stitch in banana yellow.
* Original debossed leather MF® patch on rear pocket.
* Top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching.
* Original brass cast MF® branded waist button.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Fabric selvedge featured on leg outseams, zip fly placket and coin pocket fold.
* Original MF® ‘smoke-free Johnny’ pocket paper flasher.
* Made in sunny California, USA.
SIZING/FIT
The Californian LOT.74 comes UN-WASHED and cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 “Californian” actually measures about 34” x 36½” when raw, and will shrink to approx. 32” x 34” after soak/dry.
Although some opt to wear their jeans raw and never wash them, a more practical and sensible option seems to be the cold soak/line dry/wear-when-damp to set creases protocole.
Which size works for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. I wear a slim-fitting but comfortable tagged W32 in the Lot.74.
We recommend getting your usual waist size, although proper fit is a subjective matter and everyone has their own idea of what looks good.
As with all denim twill, shrinkage and stretching will occur for a while and will depend on the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry (ie. minimal shrinkage).
CARE:
Wash your jeans when hygiene dictates and common sense prevails.
When cleaning is required, machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Please note that the debossed artwork on the leather patch will naturally ‘flatten out’ when soaked in water. As devastating as it is, this is normal.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available RAW/unwashed/Un-sanforized
Sizes
W28 x L32
W29 x L32
W30 x L32
W31 x L32
W32 x L34
W33 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L34
W38 x L34
Retail $299.95
Soon 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®
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