 Me in front of the mirror, before leaving my hotel room at Pitti Uomo. Mister Freedom® ©2024 
Mister Freedom® Californian Lot64 VDL14, Vidalia Mills Black Selvedge Denim Twill, 14 Oz., milled in USA.
mfsc SS2024 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
If I were a fashion blogger I would start with “One of the problems with classic black denim jeans is what to not pair them with…”
Instead, as illustration, below is a plethora of smashing MF® outfits, in all kinds of awkward poses and situations. Same black jeans, and too much time on my hands.
We acquired some very cool yardage of black selvedge denim for this project, with the simple intention of releasing an unpretentious, classic cut, home-grown pair of solid black Mister Freedom® Lot64 Californian.
Milled by Vidalia Specialty Mills in Vidalia, Louisiana, this black selvedge denim twill fabric has quite the historical background. The looms it was produced-on — a few restored vintage 1940s Draper X3 looms — were purchased sometime in 2017 from the iconic Cone Mills White Oak Plant by a North Carolina demolition contractor by the name of Will Dellinger (JW Demolition).
Familiar to all heritage denimheads as the American mill responsible for Levi’s® golden age good looks, Cone Mills folded its domestic operation in 2017, looking for greener pasture and off-shoring to China and Mexico.
The machines were in turn procured by Vidalia in 2019. Apparently 46 machines total.
Of note, Cone still has somewhat of its legit USA denim-producing legacy going strong thanks to the dedicated crew at Proximity Denims since 2021.
If the above chain of events sounds like a whole season of Dallas, it’s probably because the world of American Denim carries about the same amount of intrigue.
What is less plot-driven and more transparent is that the premium denim fabric of the Mister Freedom® Lot64 VDL14 is a black warp x black weft twill, 14 Oz., milled in Louisiana, and that our jeans are cut/sewn in California, USA, the combination of which is bound to make you look fabulous and feel fantastic for years to come. Dress ‘em up, dress ‘em down, go Jailhouse Rock or 30 Rock, these classic black jeans will tell the story you choose.
Please note that these Lot64 VDL14 run fuller in the leg than our typical Lot64s, with a silhouette closer to our Lot54. Be sure to read the sizing section and check the measurement chart, as some may decide to size down one inch from their usual Lot64 size.
The Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 are designed and made in California, CA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Cut from Vidalia Mills premium selvedge denim milled in USA.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage 1950s-1960s era five-pocket blue jeans. Our LOT64 cut features a traditional fit, classic rise, with a slightly-tapered leg for a 1950s-60s period vibe.
FABRIC:
Fabric: 100% cotton black warp x black weft bull denim, 14 oz., white/red selvedge ID, milled in USA by Vidalia Mills on Cone Mills legacy Draper-X3 looms.
Pocketing: NOS 100% cotton canvas, rusty red color.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern and fit.
* Classic mid-rise.
* Button fly, original MF®-branded patinaed tack buttons, brass waist / silver fly combo.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* NOS cotton canvas pocketing.
* MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Black tea-core cowhide leather MF®-branded patch on rear pocket. Will age with normal wash/wear.
* 100% cotton threads construction, black tonal stitching.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bar-tack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher, black VDL14 edition.
* Made in California, USA, in an ethically-responsible and small family-owned factory.
SIZING/FIT:
The Mister Freedom® Californian Lot64 VDL14 black denim jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that actual measurements match the labeling after an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to shape and set creases (optional), then hang until fully dry.
The Mister Freedom® Lot64 VDL14 runs a full size larger than the tag and we recommend sizing down one full size from your normal waist size. Example: If you typically wear pants with a 32” inch waist, we recommend a size 31 in the MF® Lot64 VDL14.
See MF® Californian fit references here.
CL advice: At 5’7 ~145 Lbs., I opted to size down to a W29, for a snug waist and classic 1950s-60s silhouette.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. Please refer to our size chart and measuring method.
CARE for your black denim jeans:
Wash when necessary, as with other premium denim garments.
We recommend turning the jeans inside-out to avoid potential marbling of the denim fabric. Wash separately from light-colored garments.
Machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry. Using hot water/heat dryer may result in excessive and irreversible shrinkage.
Note that boiling your jeans will turn the leather patch into instant beef jerky, and attaching a new patch on an already-mounted rear pocket is about as easy as wrangling a pack of feral jackrabbits.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick 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®
©2024
Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 “Frontier Duck”, 100% cotton canvas, Rust brown & Dark navy.
SS2023 & FW2023 mfsc Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
We’ve issued the Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN in a plethora of premium fabrics through the years.
Since its 2010 introduction, our original classic five-pocket jeans pattern has been released in a wide range of NOS traditional indigo selvedge denims, eclectic premium Japanese fabrics such as double indigo twill, “Midnight” denim, Bedford cord Pique , corduroy, Jungle cloth, and cotton sateen.
For this iteration, we decided to give the CALIFORNIAN Lot64 an old school cotton canvas treatment, a nod to 1960s-70s brown duck 200Z Lee® Riders. For the denim collector, there was a fair amount of Lee® NOS floating around in the vintage world in the early 1990s, easily recognizable by the iconic yellow “boot and bucking bronco” Lee® paper flasher and desirable black/gold waistband label. I remember scoring a few stacks of those canvas specimen in old western wear stores at the time, and also sporting a pair.
For this project, we wanted domestic fabric and went out to source some nice and dry 12 Oz. cotton “Frontier” duck yardage, milled by Mt Vernon Mills in Georgia, USA.
We opted for two color options. A rusty brown similar to our Lee® brown duck jeans source of inspiration – also typical of classic Carhartt workwear – and a deep dark navy blue. For those considering a farmhand tuxedo, please note that the CALIFORNIAN rusty brown “Frontier” duck fabric is of a different dye lot from the “Frontier” Ranch Blouse NOS Duck.
This canvas duck fabric is woven on wide looms, resulting in unfinished edges, i.e. non selvedge. Therefore, as with the Californian Jungle cloth issue, the leg outseams of the pants are finished with overlock, another classic 1970s Lee® jeans trait.
We kept our MF® classic contrast orange/yellow combo stitching for the brown duck, and went tonal for the navy.
As often with our domestic production, we are using older NOS (New-Old-Stock, aka “Dead Stock”) fabric for the pocket bags. Not only as a “vintage aesthetics” choice, but in an effort to always use-up all yardage we have in stock.
Discarding left-over material is common practice in our overproducing fashion industry, an obvious waste of virgin raw material and resources, and pretty much an insult to our species’ intelligence at this point! We can do better.
Valuable and painstakingly-milled unused and uncut fabric yardage, let alone recently-manufactured clothes, should definitely not end up in landfills, nor in smoke.
The Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 jeans, “Frontier Duck Canvas” edition, are designed and manufactured in California, USA, by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage 1950s-1960s era five-pocket blue jeans. Our LOT64 cut features a traditional fit, classic rise, with a slightly tapered leg for a 50s-60s vibe.
FABRIC:
Dry 100% cotton “Frontier” duck canvas, 12 Oz., milled by Mt Vernon Mills, Georgia, USA.
Two color options, rusty brown and deep dark navy.
Pocket bags:
Brown canvas option: NOS 100% cotton navy blue twill with woven white pinstripe.
Navy canvas option: NOS 100% cotton fancy Dobby stripe weave, grayish/blue stripe on off-white background (left-over yardage from the production of the MF® Aristocrat Shirt.)
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern, featuring a straight leg with a slight taper and a classic mid-to-high rise.
* Button fly, original MF®-branded metal cast tack buttons, “oxidized” silver color.
* Non-selvedge overlocked leg outseam.
* Fancy NOS fabric 100% cotton pocketing.
* MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Hand-debossed leather MF® branded patch on rear pocket, natural veg-tan cowhide for rusty brown canvas version, black tea-core veg-tan cowhide for navy canvas version.
* Contrast stitching on brown canvas version. Twelve types of 100% cotton threads used for construction (gauge and color combination.) Main colors are yellow and orange. Tonal stitching (black) on navy canvas version.
* Riveted coin pocket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bartack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (royal blue).
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The Californian LOT64 Frontier Duck Canvas jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that actual measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Hang until fully dry.
The canvas Californians are considered true-to-size.
A tagged W32 will most-likely be the right size for an individual with an approximate measured waist of +/- 32 inches, and with average body proportions. Note that your natural waist is a bit bellow belly button level, not bellow the hips.
I opted for a W30 in these (5’7 ~142 Lbs.), for a fit silhouette, and went un-hemmed and un-cuffed for “sloppy” period stacking.
The size that will work best for you depends on your body type and how you like your jeans to fit.
Please refer to size chart, reflecting rinsed measurements.
CARE:
Launder when needed.
We recommend turning the jeans inside out to avoid marbling during laundering. Machine wash, cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Potential attractive patina may develop according to one’s activities, and frequency of wear/wash.
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®
©2023
 Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, new & worn (~3 months + 1 full wash)  “Who, moi?”  Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, worn ~3 months + 1 full wash. 
 Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, new & worn (~8 months + 3 washes)  Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, new & worn (~8 months + 3 washes)  Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, new & worn (~8 months + 3 washes)  Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 Cone OG23, new & worn (~8 months + 3 washes) Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN Lot64 OG23, NOS Cone Mills 12.75 Oz. organic selvedge denim.
mfsc SS2023 Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
The MF® Californian LOT64 OG23 blue jeans, “NOS Cone Mills organic denim” edition, are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
PATTERN:
Inspired by vintage 1950s-1960s era five-pocket blue jeans. Our LOT64 cut features a traditional fit, classic rise, with a slightly tapered leg for a 50s-60s vibe.
FABRIC:
New Old Stock (NOS) Cone Mills organic denim, 12.75 Oz., white/indigo stripe selvedge ID.
Pocketing: Fancy NOS dobby stripe woven fabric, subtle combo of grayish blue and gold stripes on an off-white background, 100% cotton. Probable Italian mill origin.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern.
* Button fly, original MF®-branded ‘silver’ tack buttons.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* Selvedge ID is actual indigo!
* Fancy NOS fabric pocketing.
* MF® original white “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Natural cowhide leather MF®-branded patch on rear pocket. Will patinate with age.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads used for construction (gauge and color combination.) Main colors are yellow and orange.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bar-tack stitching.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (brown).
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The Californian LOT64 OG23 blue jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that actual measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to shape and set creases, then hang until fully dry.
These Lot64 OG23 are considered true-to-size, with somewhat of a generous fit.
A tagged W32 will most-likely be the right size for an individual with an approximate measured waist of +/- 32 inches, and with average body proportions. Note that your natural waist is a bit bellow belly button level, not bellow the hips.
I (5’7 ~145 Lbs.) opted for a W31 in these, for a very comfortable silhouette, and went un-hemmed and un-cuffed for “sloppy” period stacking for a change.
The size that will work best for you depends on how you like your jeans to fit. Please refer to size chart.
CARE:
Launder when needed.
We recommend turning indigo blue/denim garments inside out to avoid marbling during laundering. Machine wash, cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Please note that dark indigo might cause color transfer, and potentially “bleed” on light-colored garments, furniture, and skin. This indigo color “crocking” is temporary.
Potential attractive patina will develop according to one’s activities, and frequency of wear/wash.
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®
©2023
Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN LOT.64-JC, indigo-dyed 14 Oz. Jungle Cloth edition.
mfsc FW2021 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
Alert the media, the MF® Californian is back, and this time in non-selvedge fabric!
The Lot.64 is our most-popular five-pocket pattern, featuring a straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, and a classic 1960s silhouette.
“Jungle Cloth” is a trade name for heavy warp-faced corded fabric, in which the cords run in the warp (vertical) direction. This all-cotton grosgrain fabric of the corduroy family is high density, rugged, water-repellent and windproof, and has roots in 1920s civilian flight gear. It is commonly associated with US Navy foul weather deck personnel clothing, with the iconic N-1 and its many iterations in Heritage fashion.
Why it was called “Jungle Cloth” remains a mystery to me, and the earliest mention of the fabric I could find is in a 1914 book titled “Hunting in the Arctic and Alaska”, in a chapter listing the author’s personal outfit of choice for a cruise in the Arctic:
Jungle Cloth is described as “Modified Bedford Cords” in a volume of “Standard Commodity Classification” from 1945. Its US production ramped up during WW2 due to large US Government contracts for the US Navy. The Crompton-Shenandoah Plant in Virginia handled a large chunk of the wartime production, having adapted its long-established velveteen-milling machinery to meet the mil-specs Jungle Cloth demand.
 Excerpt from US Senate hearings on Trade Agreements, 1955. This interesting 1955 “Trade Agreements” US Senate official document discusses the struggle of the American fabric milling industry, overwhelmed by cheaper labor competition from Italian and Japanese factories at the time. During the hearings, a Crompton-Shenandoah representative mentions “the average hourly earnings in the cotton textile industry are about $1.35 (in the US) , the Italian textile hourly average wage is 24 cents, the Japanese 13 cents… The best Japanese velveteen, and it is good, is for sale in New York, duty paid, at 21 cents per yard lower than our manufacturing cost…”
Fabric milling in the US struggled until the 1980s, and is today a shadow of what it once was, although domestic textile manufacturing has seen a revival in recent years.
It is also quite ironic that in 2021, Japanese and Italian textiles are considered premium and are very costly, and that domestic production in Japan and Italy is now constantly challenged by unbeatable competition from China, Bangladesh, India, South East Asia, Haiti, South Africa… Hard to compete indeed with $95/month wages such as those of Bangladeshi garment workers. Gambatte Nippon!
Our premium Jungle Cloth is milled in Japan and indigo-dyed by Japanese experts to a dark shade of indigo blue. This vintage mil-specs fabric initially developed by Buzz Rickson’s is an old MF® favorite. It has been previously featured on our Riders, N-1Z Deck Pants, M-17 Parka, and Mulholland Master. It ages beautifully and the patina of indigo-dyed Jungle Cloth is quite impressive.
(Note that his fabric is very light-sensitive, so store appropriately to avoid sun fading/fold marks.)
For pocketing, we opted for some older NOS olive green HBT. To keep a low profile, we went for tonal stitching and, due to the Jungle Cloth heavy ounce, chose cotton-wrap poly thread for sturdy construction and seam resistance.
The Californian LOT.64-JC blue jeans “Indigo Jungle Cloth” edition are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
High density 14 Oz. “Jungle Cloth”, 100% cotton grosgrain, period mil-specs, the notorious shell fabric of 1940’s US Navy N-1 deck jackets, dyed to a deep and dark indigo shade. (The face is textured by dense vertical cords, and the reverse feels soft and brushed.)
Milled and indigo-dyed in small batches in Japan.
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional 1950′s-1960’s era blue jeans, original Mister Freedom® classic fit.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern, featuring a straight leg with a slight taper and a classic mid-to-high rise.
* Button fly.
* Non-selvedge leg outseam, overlock.
* 100% cotton NOS olive green HBT pocketing.
* Tonal MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Hand-debossed black tea-core veg-tan cowhide leather MF® branded patch on rear pocket.
* Tonal stitching, classic MF® Californian gauge combo, sturdy black cotton-wrap poly thread.
* Coin pocket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bartack stitching.
* Original MF® metal cast tack buttons combo, ‘oxidized’ silver for fly, brass for waist.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (Army green).
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The CALIFORNIAN Lot.64-JC comes UN-WASHED. These jeans are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry. (Do not use heat dryer)
I went with a W31, for a snug top block and straight leg silhouette. I am about 5’7, 150 lbs. This fabric hardly stretches but softens with wear, and is very comfortable.
Disclaimer: Color crocking (temporarily bleeding onto other lighter-colored textiles) is to be expected and will temporarily ‘stain’ light color garments worn as under layers. Indigo rub-off should wash-off eventually. However, expect blue legs for a while.
Also, this fabric is very light-sensitive, so store appropriately to avoid sun fading/fold marks.
CARE:
Wash sporadically, only when needed. Spot clean with a damp rag to remove dirt/mud rather than wash.
When full cleaning is required, turn pants inside out to limit fabric marbling, set machine to DELICATE and wash in cold water with mild eco-friendly detergent designed for delicate fabrics.
Heavy indigo crocking is to be expected for a while, so wash separately from all other garments. Indigo blue marks on the washing machine walls can be removed with a damp rag soaked in laundry detergent.
Do not use a heat dryer, hang dry instead.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick 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®
©2021
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