 
Mister Freedom® “MERIDANA” Shirt, Indigo Linen & Oatmeal Chambray Hemp/Linen/Cotton (50/25/25).
SS2020 mfsc YUCATÁN Collection.
Made in Japan.
Visitors of the ol’ MF® pile o’ rags know they can always count on a curated vintage selection of “South of The Border” textiles and garb from the Americas, like hand-woven Guatemalan huipiles, embroidered campesina blouses, vegetable-dye wool Mexican serapes, Caribbean-print tourist shirts… and, of course, old Guayaberas. The rare vintage specimen we score get snapped-up quite quickly at our store, and I always have my radar on while rag picking. I can’t pass in front of a rack of used, contemporary shortsleeved poly-cotton Guayaberas (a common feature of California ‘vintage’ stores and markets) without scoping the selection for an OG, an abuelo, an elusive all-cotton 50’s-60’s hidden specimen! It’s always a thrill when one pops-up, and a ¡Caramba! usually follows.
As with most iconic designs rooted in 19th Century traditional clothing, old folklore and history, the Guayabera’s tale remains unclear even for costume scholars. Its disputed origins are found in Cuba (a Spanish military garment was apparently called Guayabera, and the Guayabana was sported by guava farmers…), the Dominican Republic (the traditional chacabana), Spain, and Mexico via the Philippines (the barong shirt)…
The HistoryMiami Museum held an exhibition in 2012, with research leading to interesting conjectures and displayed artifacts.
In Mexico, the style is sometimes referred to as camiseta de Yucatán (Yucatán shirt), making it quite an inevitable fitting candidate for one of our Mister Freedom® SS2020 mfsc line-up, a capsule collection called Yucatán, initially introduced during Spring 2019.
The design of our shirt is heavily inspired by a vintage 1950’s specimen from our archives, sporting an obscure “Meridana” label that read: “Hecho en Mexico, Merida, Yuc.” That original white cotton shirt (made in Mérida, capital city of Yucatán State, Mexico) had all the bells and whistle of traditional Guayaberas: the characteristic four patch pockets, front and back tiny pleats (alforza), arcuate shoulder and bottom yoke, side vents, and enough decorative buttons to set-up a notion store.
On a side costume history note, it is believed that the famous pointy “western yoke” familiar to all western-wear aficionados actually finds its origin in the guayabera shirts allegedly sported by 1800’s Mexican vaqueros and rancheros, whose horsemanship, cultural heritage, and style are known to have influenced the American cowboy. If this is true, the arcuate is more likely to have come from Spain, as the scalloped yoke is not an uncommon feature of vintage European clothing from the period.
Back to our Guayabera. If we kept the overall vibe and essence of that vintage shirt for our humble fashion interpretation, we decided to replace the tight rows of stitched vertical pleats (called alforza, and by the intricacy of which the status of quality tailoring traditionally depends) by appliqué panels, racing-style, respectfully leaving the title of “King of the Guayabera” to Señor Ramón Puig, while we stick to the dune buggy fever flavor of our theme.
We added a 1950’s style “loop” collar, no top stitch, typical of early models and classic open collar mid-century sport shirts.
For front closure, we tried sourcing-out the classic Mexican “souvenir shirts” oblong grooved buttons, but to no avail. Couldn’t even figure-out what they are called. So we had a limited batch custom-made and replicated from a vintage specimen, opting for actual ox bone material instead of the usual plastic. As these have to be attached by hand, not machine, they might have to be re-stitched occasionally, a minor operation accessible to anyone who can thread a needle, not a bad skill to acquire for anyone who finds benefits in prolonging the life of a garment, rather than discarding it.
Our MERIDANA would be good practice over time, as it features twenty-eight (!) buttons, a combination of two styles: the oblong hand-sewn ones aforementioned, and a vintage 1930’s new old stock model of Portuguese manufacture from our archives, also made from ox bone. We still had a few boxes from our 2012 Prairie Shirt production…
The fabrics we opted for are new to the world of traditional Guayaberas, as far as we know. We are introducing our MERIDANA in a beautiful indigo-dyed fine linen, quite similar to the fabric of the MF® Liquette M35. The second option is a métisse oatmeal selvedge selvedge chambray, a fancy mid-weight blend of 50% hemp, 25% linen and 25% cotton. Both fabrics drape very differently, but have the classic crispiness and wrinkly quality associated with linen/hemp fibers.
Style-wise, these untucked tropical shirts are quite versatile. Our MERIDANA can be paired with dressy gents’ trousers, cool Californian colored jeans or blue jeans, chinos, vintage slacks… eventually complimented by a pair of huaraches (the traditional Mexican ones, not the made-in-China Swoosh brand stuff) or Spanish/French espadrilles. And a Panama hat for good measure.
Visual inspiration abound, the classic 1956 shots of Papa Hemingway with buddy Gary Cooper in Cuba, Phil Stern’s photos of the Duke in Acapulco circa 1947 (some with Cooper again, apparently sold on the style!), and countless other old snapshots of cool dudes.
The mfsc MERIDANA is designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co., from fabrics milled in Japan.
GARMENT SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional Guayabera-type shirts and other vintage tropical garments, revisited with a 1940’s-1950’s twist.
FABRICS:
Two distinct options:
a) Dark indigo-dyed plain weave, 100% linen, lightweight and breezy, milled in Japan.
Note: This indigo fabric is prone to “bleeding” (color transfer) and is very light sensitive. The indigo color will rub-off on lighter colored fabrics, skin, and furniture. Exposure to the sun will rapidly alter the indigo blue hues, and the shirt should be stored away from sunlight.
b) Mid-weight métisse oatmeal selvedge chambray, very slubby blend of 50% hemp, 25% linen and 25% cotton, milled in Japan.
DETAILS:
* Vintage-style tailoring and styling.
* Elegant long-sleeve model.
* Four front patch pockets.
* Vertical stitched-down paneling strips, racing style, front and back.
* Buttoned side slits.
* Attractive arcuate shoulder yoke, bottom hem, and pocket yokes.
* Genuine ox-bone Mexican “souvenir shirt” traditional oblong buttons.
* Decorative vintage NOS ox-bone 1920’s classic buttons.
* Combination of 28 functional and decorative buttons.
* 1950’s-style “loop” open collar pattern, no top stitch.
* Original mfsc “YUCATÁN” woven rayon label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Both fabric options of the MF® “MERIDANA” come raw/un-rinsed.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
* Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
* Spin dry and line dry (not in full sun for the indigo version.)
Both versions will fit approximately the same following the above procedure. Both indigo linen and oatmeal chambray fabrics are so distinct in texture, weight and drape that they will feel quite different, but technically fit the same. The chambray tends to have a bit more mechanical stretch, due to the looser weave. The classic crispiness and wrinkly quality associated with linen/hemp fibers is expected and normal.
I am usually a Medium (15½) in mfsc shirting, and I opted for a comfortable Medium in both fabric options. The fit picture features a Medium in both fabrics after one cold soak/line dry, and a bit more shrinkage and fabric torque/puckering might be expected down the line.
We recommend matching the measurements below to a shirt you own, of similar untuck and comfortable style, in order to figure which size will work best for you. For reference, this is how we measure our garments.
When using a cloth measuring tape, make sure the tape has not stretched overtime and is accurate.
 
CARE:
Launder when needed.
a) Indigo linen model: Fully un-button before laundering. Treat as a delicate fancy shirt. Hand wash recommenced, or machine wash on gentle cycle, cold water, minimum eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Attractive patina will potentially develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Note: This indigo fabric is prone to “bleeding” (color transfer) and is very light sensitive. The indigo color will rub-off on lighter colored fabrics, skin, and furniture. Exposure to the sun will rapidly alter the indigo blue hues, and the shirt should be stored away from sunlight.
b) Oatmeal hemp chambray model: Fully un-button before laundering. Treat as a delicate fancy shirt. Hand wash recommenced, or 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 brick & mortar 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, and stay safe.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020
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
 
 
Mister Freedom® “Veste BELLEVILLE” & “Pantalon CAMARGUAIS”, mocha HBT linen/cotton.
FW2018 “Surplus” mfsc collection.
Made in Japan.
We are adding a French twist to the MF® “Surplus” mfsc catalog this season, in the form of two vintage-inspired design classics lifted from the Old World.
The top piece, a classic pattern we reinterpreted and chose to call Veste Belleville, is a style familiar to most today, as it has made it into international streetwear for years. Many modern fashionable versions exist. It is mostly known as the French work jacket, and often referred to as ‘bleu de travail’ (work blues) in its homeland. Our interpretation features the typical two-piece spliced collar, a staple of these French workwear chore coats.
Our Veste Belleville was introduced during the swinging days of our Gypsy Blues escapade, and issued at the time in a covert woven stripe twill, and in a foxy indigo-dyed HBT linen/cotton blend version. That herringbone twill was inspired by vintage French firemen uniforms of the 1900’s. The few rare antique specimen that have survived today are sought-after treasures for designers and militaria collectors alike, both the indigo and black/dark brown versions.
Below, our friend Jérome Girard, aka “J” or “Le Zouave”, fiercely models a 1900’s French Fireman tunic, an authentic early model with an impressive indigo patina. The ‘Nam boonie hat is a nice touch. Photo stolen from J’s epic IG feed.
What a mug, what a legend! Magnifique!
In its un-dyed, loomstate form, our 80% linen-20% cotton blend HBT fabric comes in a natural un-bleached ivory color. It has been featured loomstate on the MF® Waterfront Coat released in 2016.
This season, we decided to offer the same textile in a rich and warm dark brown “mocha” color. Because of the specific method of fabric-dyeing we opted for, the core of the yarn keeps its original off-white color, a telltale of future attractive patina.
Now the pants. The bottom piece is also a classic European garment pattern we reinterpreted, a traditional 1900’s-1930’s style of French work pants popular with farmers and laborers. We decided to name this pattern “Pantalon Camarguais” because of the twist we put on it.
Pronounced KA-MAR-GAY (the u is silent), the adjective is a reference to a French region called Camargue. For those unfamiliar with this beautiful corner of the world, we mentioned it briefly while introducing the Gilet Gadjo of the 2017 Gypsy Blues collection.
“ … If black and navy blue are typical colors of old-school French workwear, brown and cream moleskin garments were quite popular with the Gardians of Camargue, the gritty Provençal cowboys dreamed-up by the legendary Old-West-obsessed Folco de Baroncelli in the early 1900’s. In the old days, these famed horsemen of the delta of the Rhone, Southern France, typically wore moleskine boot-cut riding pants, with the characteristic contrast piping running down the leg seam. A matching moleskin vest, flamboyant plaid or printed cotton shirt, low-crown western-style hat, and a pair of Camarguaises (local traditional rough-out leather boots) often completed these work outfits.
(For the commun thread between Gardians and our Gypsy Blues story, Camargue’s most iconic commune is Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer, a notorious annual pilgrimage destination for Gypsies coming from the four corners of Europe.) “
The Provence cowboy connoisseur will note that our “Camarguais” pattern is a blend of vintage style references, but absolutely not a replica of the typical French Gardians’ riding trousers mentioned above. As admirative and respectful of Costume History as we are, we took some liberties with authenticity on this one. One of our inspirational piece for the project, the vintage super-high-waisted blue moleskine pantalon pictured below, was re-worked into a 21rst Century wearable, sans the charming albeit ill-fitting and costumey vibe of the original. The back rise reaching the shoulder blades is a bit hard to pull-off these days.
The pocketing we opted for, for both jacket and pants, will look familiar to the ol’ MF® OG: it was featured ages ago on our Pantalon Ouvrier. This sturdy indigo stripe ticking fabric was also inspired by antique French textiles.
Voila!
Pair these fine pieces as a set and call it le French leisure suit, or incorporate either for a touch of rugged Old World elegance in your wardrobe, the Veste Belleville and Pantalon Camarguais are now part of the Mister Freedom® SURPLUS collection of international classics, made for the discerning Gentleman of style concerned with ethical manufacturing.
The MF® “Veste BELLEVILLE” & “Pantalon CAMARGUAIS” are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co and the expert Toyo Enterprise team.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
A fancy 15 Oz. blend of 80% linen and 20% cotton Herringbone Twill (HBT), dyed in small batches in a warm mocha brown color, keeping the core of the yarn natural. Selvedge fabric, expertly milled and dyed in Japan.
Lining and pocketing: 8 oz. indigo/white warp and black weft striped twill, fine herringbone weave, white selvedge, un-sanforized (respectfully lifted from a late 1800′s swatch of french workwear textile)
1) MF® Veste BELLEVILLE, mocha HBT.
DETAILS:
* Inspired by classic 1930’s-40’s traditional French work/farmer jackets.
* Utilitarian unmarked ‘donut’ brass metal buttons.
* Three outside patch pockets. Elongated chest pocket fits some iPhone models.
* Concealed chest pocket, featuring the MF® “SURPLUS” woven label.
* Contrast indigo stripe ticking button placket facing.
* Early tailoring off-set shoulder seam pattern.
* Arms mounted with piping method, indigo-dyed tape.
* Flat-felled seam construction, hi-count tonal stitching.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Veste BELLEVILLE, mocha HBT comes raw/unwashed, and will shrink to tagged size.
Follow the usual recommended initial method before wearing: cold soak for 30mn, occasional hand agitation, spin dry and line dry.
We recommend sizing down on MF® Veste BELLEVILLE in mocha HBT, as we had advised for both the indigo and covert original versions. I usually wear 38 (Medium) in mfsc jackets, but went with a 36 (small) with the Belleville, without arm-hole issues.
Please refer to chart to figure which size works for you. If still confused, email sales@misterfreedom.com
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
36 Small
38 Medium
40 Large
42 X-Large
44 XX-Large
1) MF® Pantalon CAMARGUAIS, mocha HBT.
DETAILS:
* An original mfsc pattern inspired by vintage French farmer/laborer work pants and 1900’s European trousers.
* Cinch-back with vintage-style steel/copper combo sharp prong buckle.
* “French seam” style outseam, featuring the HBT fabric selvedge ID.
* Early French trousers style back yoke.
* Rear expansion gusset featuring the indigo ticking pocketing fabric ID selvedge.
* Slim beltloops.
* Utilitarian unmarked ‘donut’ brass metal buttons.
* Arcuate stitch design on pocket openings.
* Rear gusset featuring the indigo ticking pocketing fabric ID selvedge.
* Art Deco-style sheet metal suspender buttons.
* Flat-felled seam construction, hi-count tonal stitching.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Pantalon Camarguais, mocha HBT comes raw/unwashed, and will shrink to tagged size.
Follow the usual recommended initial method before wearing: cold soak for 30mn, occasional hand agitation, spin dry and line dry.
These trousers feature a quite generous cut. I opted to size down to a Waist 30, for a slimmer silhouette.
Please refer to chart to figure which size works for you.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
W28 x L36
W30 x L36
W32 x L36
W34 x L36
W36 x L38
W38 x L38
CARE:
Hand wash or machine wash on delicate, cold water, minimal eco-friendly detergent. Turn inside-out to avoid marbling of the fabric. Line dry ONLY.
This fabric will develop attractive patina overtime, according to the owner’s activities, frequency of wear and laundering choices.
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®
©2018
 It was about 95°F in San Pedro that day… The Waterfront Coat, HBT cotton Linen, Troy Blanket lining.
Fall 2016 mfsc Anniversary Collection
Made in Japan
The final drop in the ocean of goodies issued for Fall 2016 will be the Waterfront Coat.
Not yet a wrap for our mfsc Ten Year Anniversary adventures, merely the last page of its nautical chapter. After two deck jackets, a couple of naval chinos, a blue shirt, and a souvenir jacket, all we needed was …one peacoat!
Anchors aweigh!
The familiar silhouette of the Waterfront Coat is another homage to the early pattern of the classic USN P-Jacket, a.k.a. peacoat.
Sometime in Spring 2008, we released a denim version of that iconic manly garment, part of the “MFSC Naval Clothing Tailor” concept, our first full-fledge collection in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. If a 10-button peacoat made from selvedge denim didn’t necessarily sound like a good idea back then either, it kinda caught on. Some of our jackets even made it to unlikely retail doors, finding their way to Sir Paul Smith’s store shelves in swinging London, or on J.Crew’s catalog, eventually ending-up on sale partly because, you know, raw denim in 2008 was not exactly the most convincing selling point in menswear…
In case you missed it and enjoy a bit of Costume History at times, a previous blog post, concocted while introducing the MF® indigo twill Caban Peacoat, quickly taps into the history of peacoats, a garment adopted by Navies around the World for over a Century.
For Fall 2016, our design approach was to ‘demilitarize’ the famed War Department-issued blue jacket, twisting a USN regulation uniform into a civvy garment, morphing the peacoat into a mackinaw coat.
The shell fabric we chose is an old mfsc favorite, a blend of linen and cotton woven in a heavily-textured herringbone twill pattern, milled for us in Japan. Inspired by the fabric of late 1800’s/early 1900’s Sapeurs Pompiers (french firemen) work uniforms (bourgerons), we originally issued a handsome ‘gunpowder black’ version of it, as featured on the Faro sack coat, waistcoat, and britches of our 2012 Men of the Frontier Collection.
Recognizing at the time how attractive this HBT fabric looked in its un-dyed, un-bleached state, our design department kept it on the back burner, as a contender for a future project. So here it is, at last, in all its natural beauty!
For the lining, we went with an American vintage classic. Canteen blankets have been a bit overplayed in ‘Heritage Fashion’ in recent years, cut and sewn into all kinds of improbable garments and accessories, so we opted to keep it fully concealed on the inside.
Troy Blankets come in several colorways, our 2010 “N-1H Tr0y” featured one of them, and we chose a stripe pattern of warm tones that was new to us this time, the flecked brown-dominant version.
Replacing the classic foul anchor black buttons with natural brown corrozo wood buttons contributed to the ‘maritime to workwear’ make-over.
If the resulting jacket looks quite different from previous MF® iterations of the classic USN peacoat, it still fits our eclectic vintage aesthetics, this time Corto Maltese meets Terry Malloy and his docker comrades.
-
-
Corto Maltese by Hugo Pratt (1981) Courtesy of Cong SA
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Terry Malloy and the waterfont crew (1954) Courtesy of Getty Images
Photo credits:
* Corto Maltese watercolor courtesy of Cong SA. Official website here.
* On set of “On The Waterfront” (1954), courtesy of Getty Images.
The “Waterfront Coat” is designed in California by Mister Freedom®, and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
An original MFSC pattern, freely inspired by early 1910’s -1930’s USN and US Coast Guard sailor wool peacoats, and 1930’s-40’s vintage mackinaw-type outdoor coats.
FABRIC:
Shell: A fancy 80% linen and 20% cotton blend fabric, HBT pattern, selvedge, milled in Japan.
Lining: Soft-hand “Troy Blanket” wool blend fabric, 60% re-used wool, 28% cotton, 12% rayon). Brown dominant stripe. Woven in Japan.
NOTE: The combination and specifics of these two fabrics make the Waterfront Coat quite unfit for foul weather and extreme cold temperatures, but quite appropriate for moderately chilly days, and in-between seasons under temperate climates.
DETAILS:
* Early USN peacoat pattern.
* Canteen-type “Troy Blanket” wool blend stripe lining, brown dominant.
* 10-button front closure.
* Brown corrozo wood buttons.
* Four outside pockets, two ‘hand warmer’ slash pockets and two flap closure pockets. All lined with golden brown cotton-wool blend corduroy.
* Inside chest pocket and traditional ‘cigarette’ pocket.
* Leather arrowhead reinforcement on pocket edges.
* Fabric selvedge conspicuously displayed inside pockets and on back vent.
* Removable chin strap (displaying either fabric if left dangling, or concealed if buttoned under the collar.)
* Traditional Zig-Zag pattern under-collar reinforcement stitching.
* Double labeling, original MF® and mfsc woven labels.
* 100% cotton stitching, tonal.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
The Waterfront Coat comes raw/unwashed/loomstate.
Although this garment can be worn as-is (raw), for a clean, pressed look, the pattern was adjusted to match a specific silhouette after an initial cold soak/hang dry process. Aside from fabric shrinkage, the HBT linen-cotton material takes on a ‘new life’ after this process. Linen fibers expand, the high-count stitching causes ‘roping’ and subtle twisting, the lining pulls the seams up a bit… and the garment looks about 50 years older, without the use of obnoxious chemical ‘vintage washes’ dear to our industry.
We suggest soaking the garment in cold water for about 3omn, occasional hand agitation, spin dry and hang dry. Please note that unless you live in the Atacama Desert, the Waterfront Coat might take about three days to fully dry. We do not recommend using a heat dryer. We do not recommend boiling this garment either, as the leather trims and lining will probably get ruined.
Please refer to the sizing chart to see if this garment’s proportions work for you. We suggest sizing down on the Waterfront Coat. I usually wear a Medium (38) in mfsc jackets, but opted for a Small (36). After the initial soak/hang dry procedure, I still had enough room to layer a mid-weight shirt and a close-fitting Cowboy denim jacket.
Do take in consideration that the Troy Blanket lining adds a bit of ‘puffiness’ compared to a thin cotton twill lining.
CARE:
After the initial cold soak, we recommend taking the Waterfront Coat to your local eco-friendly dry cleaner for cleaning. Do not use a home washing machine to launder, as the coat is quite heavy and stiff when wet. Spot cleaning can be performed by using a damp cloth and common sense.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
36 Small
38 Medium
40 Large
42 X-Large
44 XX-Large
Retail $799.95
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®
©2016
 He’s a natural  Notice the special gas cap model, designed by MI6 Quartermaster “Q” The “Continental Vest”
NOS Cotton-Linen twills, Charcoal, Slate Grey & Indigo Moss Blue.
Sportsman Collection Spring 2016
Moving right along in our Continental trilogy, the latest grouping added to the Made in USA Mister Freedom® Sportsman catalog for Spring 2016, here is the Continental Vest. The third original pattern of our recently-released suiting effort complements the Continental Trousers and Continental Sportcoat.
Our Continental Vest design is inspired by several vintage waist coats, and more specifically by an original 1950’s-60’s British-made specimen. Unlike previously-released Mister Freedom® waistcoats mostly taking from turn-of-the-Century to 1930’s models and featuring contrasting cotton sateen backs, the Continental Vest carries an early sixties tailor-made vibe with its matching fabric back design.
This elegant six-button front garment features two slanted box-pleat patch pockets with flaps, and a full cinch back belt. In addition to the charcoal and slate grey cotton-linen twill fabric options offered with the Continental Sportcoat, we are also releasing the Continental Vest in Indigo Moss Blue. It is the same attractive denim-like fabric originally introduced with the Continental Trousers, a New Old Stock slubby 11 Oz. crosshatch twill, 70% cotton – 30% linen blend that got black ops spooks red with envy. The Fashion industry, on the other hand, does envy our “Indigo Moss Blue” terminology, which is indeed one of our proudest semantic achievement to date.
Please note that said-Indigo Moss Blue option features the 1rst type Continental lining, an ivory white 100% cotton plain weave with a woven blue stripe. A slightly different NOS woven stripe fabric was used for both the charcoal and slate grey vests. To accommodate mixing and matching within the Continental family, this handsome new lining fabric is very similar in appearance to its original companion. The subtle variation typifies the perks associated with opting for limited New Old Stock fabric on full-fledged garment manufacturing projects.
Using vintage NOS fabrics not only satisfies our known appetite for limited edition runs, but also matches a desire to limit the carbon footprint of Mister Freedom® seasonal offerings, however insignificant of a gesture it might seem.
Speaking of H2O, our vest is washable. But be aware that the cotton-linen fabric will torque and shrink, and the stitching will pucker to a roping effect. This ‘wrinkled’ look is an acquired taste, and some might prefer a freshly pressed ‘clean’ look instead easily obtained with professional dry-cleaning.
The Continental Vest is quite versatile and will adapt to the wearer’s own personal style, according to what it will be paired with. It can be dressed-up with Continental Trousers and vest, dressed-down with blue jeans or chinos, buttoned-up (don’t forget to leave the bottom button unbuttoned) or worn open, etc…
Ultimately, and with such wardrobe must-haves as the Continental Trousers, Sportcoat and Vest, there will be no rest for the delusional on-the-go Int’l Man of Action, heading out on an impossible mission to get groceries.
Oh, and don’t forget your Space Pen. One never knows.
The Continental Sportcoat is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom® in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERNS:
An original mfsc pattern, inspired by vintage European waistcoats, notably an original 1950’s-60’s tailor-made British specimen.
FABRICS:
A) Charcoal Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill with a probable Italian origin.
B) Slate Grey twill: New Old Stock, 60% cotton – 40% linen, 8 Oz. denim twill, also with a probable Italian origin.
C) Indigo Moss Blue denim twill: New Old Stock, 70% cotton – 30% linen, 11 Oz. denim twill, also with a probable Italian origin.
Lining: Two similar types of fancy New Old Stock 100% cotton fabrics, natural white with woven blue stripe.
DETAILS:
* Six-button front.
* Two slanted box-pleat patch pockets with buttoned flaps.
* Full matching back with cinch strap, European-style metal buckle.
* Fancy corozo wood buttons.
* Full lining, woven stripe suit-lining fabric, no open seams.
* Made in USA, baby.
SIZING/FIT:
This explains how we size our garments.
The Continental Vest comes raw/unwashed. We recommend the usual initial 30mn cold soak/occasional hand agitation/spin dry/hang dry process. For the three fabric options, the tagged size reflects the size of the garment after going through this process. All fabric options will shrink to roughly the same measurements.
Please note that it is the nature of cotton-linen blend textiles to wrinkle and slightly stretch back and forth with each laundry/wear cycle. For example, freshly laundered linen garments fit tighter in the morning than at the end of the day. If you prefer a clean, pressed look following the initial soaking process, the Continental Vest can be steamed or professionally pressed.
I opted for a Size 38 in all options of the Continental Vest. This is my usual size in mfsc top garments. However, I have done a full rinse cycle with the Vests, and used a heat dryer for about five minutes to get the shrinkage that fitted my tastes.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry. Further shrinkage and creasing will be achieved with full wash cycle (on delicate) and a heat dryer cycle.
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Charcoal Grey
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Slate Grey
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Indigo Moss Blue
CARE:
Hand wash or machine wash unbuttoned on delicate, cold water with minimal environmentally friendly detergent. Line dry.
NOTE: Full washing cycle and machine dry will result in maximum shrinkage, to be experimented with care and at owner’s risk.
Available RAW/unwashed
SIZES:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
Retail $ 249.95
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®
©2016
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