 Catalina Island vintage inspiration.  Fun and informative tour of vintage Avalon with mid-century pop culture connoisseur Charles Phoenix, highlighting some of the port’s Art Deco heritage and local history.  Avalon, Catalina Island, July 4th 2019. Mister Freedom® R&D ©2020  R&R in Avalon, Catalina Island, July 4th 2019, with good humans. Mister Freedom® R&D ©2020  Back home, a few days later, doodle time. Mister Freedom® R&D ©2020 
 
 
 
Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf “Rock & Roll” shirt, “CATALINA” Edition.
mfsc SS 2020.
Made in Japan.
This splashy little number is our latest collaboration with the legendary Sun Surf® label, a branch of Toyo Enterprise known around the fashion world for its authentic and expertly-crafted Aloha shirts.
The family-owned Japanese company’s CEO, Mr. Ryoichi Kobayashi, is an avid collector of vintage Hawaiiana. His rare shirt collection has been featured in museum exhibits and in several books. Kobayashi San’s knowledge, demanding standards, and team of textile and tailoring experts, all contribute to well-curated collections of replica 1930’s to 1950’s rayon and silk tropical shirts every year. Check them out for all your “From Here to Eternity” urges, and refer to the “Land Of Aloha” book for the history behind the SUN SURF label, previously mentioned here.
We started our collaboration with SUN SURF back in 2015, kicking it off with the first of our “Rock & Roll” shirt, the “Action Packed” model, released in a white, red and black blend of rayon-cotton. Followed the boppin’ “Rocket 88” edition released during Spring 2016, available in all-cotton ivory, dark navy blue and mint green, a tribute to Rock & Roll’s early fifties roots. Randomly venturing to the burning Sahara sands, destination the French penal colonies of North Africa and their inked-up inmates, we then released the BIRIBI edition during Spring 2018.
To compliment our SS2019 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection (story here), we then designed the “Yucatán Fiesta”, released in black and white printed rayon fabric options.
This year’s Mister Freedom® x Sun Surf collaboration owes its inspiration to the hospitality and kindness of a fine group of good humans (Allynn, Jillian, John USMC VEB, Dave…) connected to a quiet place some 26 miles off the port of San Pedro in Southern California… There, about an hour ferryboat ride away, lays the island of Catalina, also known as Santa Catalina.
If you live in LA, chances are you are familiar with this small resorty island, with its notorious roaming buffalos, colorful local-made ceramic tiles heritage, and 25-year long waiting list to own a car. For Angelenos, the place is an exotic yet-affordable quick island getaway. It is quite an international tourist destination as well.
Tina and I had visited Avalon (Catalina’s main harbor) many years ago, but spending a few R&R days around Fourth of July there last year, courtesy of afore-mentioned kind-hearted and generous friends, sure put a new spin on the place. Perfect company definitely made for a much richer experience of Catalina, and not just because of the fabulous annual tricked-out golf cart parade!
Thanks to Allynn and family, her house guests at the time, including a few very knowledgeable Catalina Island Conservancy locals, we discovered new hidden facets of the popular California destination. One of the guests at the time, mid-century pop culture connoisseur Charles Phoenix turned informal island guide for the occasion. Charles lead us through an improvised city walk highlighting Avalon’s still-standing iconic structures, while providing fascinating background snippets of Catalina’s modern history.
In a nut shell, the island was purchased by chewing-gum magnate William WRIGLEY in 1919, with the goal of living there and developing it for tourism. He hired the graphic design power couple Dorothy and Otis Shepard to lead the Wrigley’s product advertising department, promoting Catalina island via attractive billboards and pamphlets. (This is the part relevant to our shirt, as the Shepard’s Art Deco style would prove quite inspirational for me later.)
By the 1930s, the place had become a getaway for wealthy Californians, a playground for many in the Hollywood entertainment industry in its Golden Age (Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable,…), a natural movie set for western movies, and an exotic venue for live popular music as countless big bands played the famous local Casino (not a gambling hall, but a ballroom with a 6,000 dancers floor capacity) in the 30’s-40’s.
After the traumatic 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the island was deserted by most of its inhabitants fearing a Japanese invasion, and turned into a Top-Secret US Army military base…
Today, with its mid-century architecture legacy, Art Deco heritage, iconic tiles accents, Mediterranean Revival charm, and bygone vintage California laid-back style, the island is well-worth the ferry ride to escape from the busy city life and crowded freeways for a few days.
Anyways, after good old times were had, came the dreaded wake-up call that a printed fabric design needed to be submitted to our Sun Surf friends like… yesterday! With a head full of happy memories, I figured that Catalina’s famous harbors, classic history and iconic fauna (the orange Garibaldi fish, iconic flying fish,…) would be a perfect theme for the original artwork of our 2020 “Rock ’n’ Roll” shirt. I started doodling, very limited by my own abilities but very inspired by the genius Art Deco works of the Sheppards, Catalina island period travel advertising, and the amazing tiled underwater scenes and Art-Deco meets Art Nouveau murals of the Catalina Casino designed by John Gabriel Beckman. The shirt’s two “Deco” divers are a reference to the 1927 “Wrigley Ocean Marathon”.
After a lot of back and forth with the Sun Surf textile experts regarding graphic repeats, artwork cut-outs, characters positioning, color combinations, etc…, from the amount of air bubbles to the size of the divers, one version was finally selected as an Aloha-vibe fabric print, and released in two distinct classic body color options.
And there goes the saga of the SS2020 MF® x Sun Surf CATALINA Rock’n’Roll shirt!
The Mister Freedom® “CATALINA” Rock & Roll shirt is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sun Surf® and Sugar Cane Co, both divisions of Toyo Enterprise.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% rayon fabric, woven and printed in Japan with traditional fabric printing techniques.
Two color options, white or black.
DETAILS:
* Limited edition collaboration with the Sun Surf® label.
* Body pattern inspired by classic vintage 1940’s-50’s Aloha shirts.
* All original MF® fabric print inspired by slices of Catalina Island 20th Century history, and a few good humans.
* 1940’s-style open ‘loop’ collar.
* Matching-pattern chest pockets.
* Tonal corozo wood buttons.
* MF® x Sun Surf® “Rock & Roll” woven rayon label and “Yucatán” double labeling.
* Packaged is a fancy re-usable Sun Surf cardboard shirting box, featuring original MF® artwork inspired by vintage LP covers.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
Both white and black “Rock & Roll” CATALINA shirts come ready-to-wear out of the box. No need to soak.
We adopted the time-tested sizing of Sun Surf®’s Aloha shirts for this garment. I wear a Medium in most mfsc shirting, and opted for a very comfortable Medium in the CATALINA. True to size, not intended to be worn tight, or tucked-in, unless you’re very daring and hip.
See sizing chart for approximate measurements, measured straight out of the packaging box.
 
CARE:
Professional DRY CLEAN ONLY, in your local eco-friendly facility.
When traveling, a quick fix to remove rayon fabric wrinkles is to hang the shirt in the bathroom while showering (not in the shower), and let the steam do its thing.
Available raw/unwashed.
Sizes
Small (14-14½)
Medium (15-15½)
Large (16-16½)
X-Large (17-17½)
XX-Large (18-18½)
Available from www.misterfreedom.com and fine retailers around the World for now, and locally from our Los Angeles brick & mortar store whenever we are allowed to re-open.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020
   
Mister Freedom® “STANLEY” Tees, tubular slubby cotton jersey.
SS2020 colors round-up, Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
Still made in USA, still unassuming yet still relevant after its introduction to the Mister Freedom® “SPORTSMAN catalog in 2015, our STANLEY Tee welcomes a new member to its color palette for Spring 2020, an irresistible funky-fresh shade of aqua blue!
The design journey was previously documented with abundant ramblings, references and vintage photography, so this just updates the color options with the MF® flavor-of-the-month, following the introduction of the classic Brown 436 in the Skivvy Tee model.
Our website also reflects a full re-stock on previously-introduced colors, long sold-out in some sizes.
Please note that due to some technical issues, one might have to occasionally empty the browser’s cache in order to properly view and shop our online store.
Additionally, we are also working on re-stocking up the MF® Shop Tees section, the silk-screened version of our Stanleys with original MF® graphics, including the dreaded four-head monster, the MF® Ranch and other favorites.
Please note that both MF® SKIVVY and STANLEY tubular Tee models are available as a Two-Pack option. Individually priced at $69.95 per shirt, a two-pack can be purchased at a substantial saving for $124.95. The packaging consists of a simple lightweight cardboard box, reminiscent of old military stenciled ammo metal boxes.
Each two-pack box contains two identical solid T-shirts (sorry, no style/model/color/size combination or substitution.)
The Stanley Tee is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
100% cotton light-weight slubby tubular jersey knit, milled in the USA.
This fabric twists and torques, like that of all-cotton vintage T-shirts. This natural yarn distortion is expected and not a default.
COLORS:
* Aqua Blue (New 2020 release)
* Gold (Yellow)
* Red
* Royal Blue
* Jungle Green (Olive)
* White
* Black
DETAILS:
* Original Mister Freedom® pattern, inspired by vintage 1940′s-50′s cotton T-shaped undershirts.
* Old school 1/4 sleeve length.
* Tubular knit (no side seams)
* Cover stitch self-fabric neckband.
* Normal mechanical stretch and fabric memory.
* Combination of flatlock and cover stitch construction, inspired by 1940′s USMC Government issued undershirts.
* 100% cotton thread, for natural roping on seams.
* Original MF® “The Sportsman” black woven rayon label on neck band.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT:
The white options comes unwashed and will shrink to the desired tagged size after an initial wash/dry cycle. All color options have already shrunk to the desired size.
The Stanley fits like the Skivvy does, but due to the nature of its stretchy jersey, the Stanley might feel looser at first.
I wear Medium (38) on most MFSC garments, but sized down to a Small for both MF® Stanley and Skivvy, just personal taste. According to your built and silhouette preference, get your normal size or size down for a slimmer/shorter old school fit.
Refer to sizing chart below for washed/machine dried approximate measurements (measured flat, without pulling/stretching).
CARE:
Low-maintenance as a T-Shirt should be, just throw your Stanley in the washer/dryer, cold or hot water, delicate cycle. No bleach. Keep colors separate to avoid potential color transfer when doing laundry.
SIZES:
Small
Medium
Large
XLarge
Only available from www.misterfreedom.com until our Los Angeles brick & mortar store can safely reopen.
Please note that due to some technical issues, one might have to occasionally empty the browser’s cache in order to properly view and shop our online store. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working on these issues.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support and stay safe.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020
 
 
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MF® Chemise Marina also available in red.
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MF® Chemise Marina also available in black.
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MF® Chemise Marina also available in white.
Mister Freedom® Chemise “MARINA”, Cotton Pique, Indigo Blue & Daffodil Yellow edition.
SS2020 mfsc “YUCATÁN” collection.
Made in Japan.
Our recurring “YUCATÁN” capsule collection concept was previously introduced during Spring 2019, with the Californian Lot.674 Piqué release.
The vibe of that menswear venture is sporty, racy, with a touch of sixties-beachcomber-meets-desert-rat. It is a concise, full-throttle yet-unassuming contemporary collection for grown-ups who have a penchant for classic designs.
The following bit, our take on a slice of costume history, was previously shared in the original post, but the MF® Chemise “MARINA” is our humble twist on the traditional “polo shirt” pattern, so called due to its initial association with the ancient sport of polo. The activity of polo, the “Sport of Kings”, was imported by the Brits in the mid 1800’s, from Manipur, India. Along came the buttoned-down collar style of shirts sported by the local teams of horsemen. This classic garment’s history gets confusing since the term “polo shirt” evolved over time to encompass differing styles.
In the 1890’s, Brooks Brothers introduced its own original so-called “Polo Shirt”, in oxford cotton. That formal design is known today as the “Button-Down” shirt, an office favorite. Brooks Brothers’ specimen, which used to be Made in USA, can be recognized by their embroidered Golden Fleece chest logo.
In the 1920’s, French tennis player René Lacoste thought of revamping the impractical attire of his own sport of choice, white slacks and starched white shirts. His original design was a pull-over shirt in cotton piqué knit, featuring short sleeves with ribbed cuffs molding to the biceps, a rib knit collar that could be flipped-up to protect from the sun, and a “tennis tail”, a longer back panel to prevent untucking while playing.
His sporty design became the “Chemise Lacoste”, establishing the traditional pattern of the tennis shirt, or “polo” style, as it is commonly referred-to today. It rapidly spread to other sports, from golf courses to marinas, becoming a staple of casual menswear.
In the early 1970’s, Ralph Lauren introduced his own “Polo shirt”, pitching its galloping player against the hissing crocodile, adding to the confusion with the “polo” vs. “Polo” terminology, but cementing the design into its contemporary preppy demeanor.
As a casual, sporty, comfortable yet elegant, versatile and time-tested garment, polos were adopted by many stylish men through the years. Period photos abound: a young Steve McQueen hanging, Sean Connery bonding, JFK yachting, Clint Eastwood parroting…
If Fedex® and Pizza Hut® also offer their own versions of chest-branded polos today, it is in the popular 1950’s and 1960’s styles that we found inspiration for the Mister Freedom® Chemise “MARINA”.
Our ribbed knit underarm expansion gusset is a familiar classic design detail lifted off vintage sportswear polos, but the choice of chest logo took a little longer to come-up with. We’d seen them all, embroideries or patches: the entire Noah’s Ark (from tigers to dragons), wreaths, golf bags, trophies, umbrellas, skulls, mounted knights, crowns, anchors, cartoon characters, monograms, plain DBA’s, … some more clever than others.
We were aiming for something unique yet classic, elegant yet somewhat witty, unpretentious yet enticing, maybe with a nautical flair?.. We definitely wanted to stay clear from pure in-your-face branding, and picking another animal from the zoo didn’t cut it.
So, after days at the drawing board, we eventually settled on a maritime signal flag gimmick! Diagonal white cross on blue background is international naval code for Mike, the letter “M”. Red diamond on white background is Foxtrot, “F”. Serendipitously, an hoisted Mike flag warns “our vessel is not moving”, and a Foxtrot flag signals “we are disabled”.
In other words, “Sacré bleu! HELP!” The MF® Design Department was adamant that such semiotics would most effectively convey an earnest and reliable brand image.
The MF® Chemise “MARINA” was initially released in three classic color options: red, black, and white cotton piqué. For FW, we are introducing an indigo blue and a daffodil yellow version.
The Chemise “MARINA” is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in Japan by Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Fine 100% cotton knit piqué, soft and light-weight, milled in Japan.
Two new color options for SS2020:
a) Indigo Blue (genuine vat-dyed indigo).
b) Daffodil Yellow.
DETAILS:
* An mfsc pattern inspired by classic 1950’s-1960’s “tennis” or “polo” type shirts.
* Piqué knit body.
* Original Mister Freedom® “MF 7161” maritime signal flag embroidered chest logo patch.
* Rib knit underarm expansion gusset.
* Versatile ribbed collar.
* Short sleeves with ribbed cuffs.
* Side slits with HBT tape reinforcement construction.
* Subtle “Tennis tail” (1 ½ inch difference between front and back length.)
* Genuine Nacre (Mother of Pearl) fancy buttons.
* Original Mister Freedom® mfsc “Chemise MARINA” rayon woven neck label.
* Made in Japan.
SIZING/FIT:
All color options of the Chemise “MARINA” come pre-rinsed and tumble-dried.
The shirts are therefore pre-shrunk and ready-to-wear. These feature more of a ‘vintage’ silhouette than your average contemporary polo shirts.
I went for a Medium with the Chemise “MARINA”, with a comfortable fit.
For info, I usually opt for Small in Mister Freedom® knitwear – Stanleys and Skivvies, Tricot Marin, GI Henley – due to a subjective preference for old-school silhouettes rather than contemporary streetwear vibes.
The cotton pique knit body has quite a mechanical stretch (the fabric naturally stretches if you pull on it), but will pretty much recover and retain its initial shape.
Please refer to sizing chart, reflecting fully-rinse and tumble-dried measurements. All shirts come pre-shrunk.
CHART
CARE:
Wash when necessary.
Hand-wash or machine wash with cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent and line dry.
Consider the Chemise “MARINA” as a delicate garment, and do not launder with clothing containing sharp hardware (metal buttons, metal zippers, hooks,…) to avoid snagging the pique knit fabric and overall damage to the shirt.
Available rinsed/pre-shrunk.
Color options: Indigo Blue or Daffodil Yellow.
Sizes
Small (14-14½)
Medium (15-15½)
Large (16-16½)
X-Large (17-17½)
XX-Large (18-18½)
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store when it re-opens, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support and stay safe.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020
 
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® “Le Parisien” Continental two-piece suit (Sportcoat & Trousers)
Mock Twist stripe twill edition.
SS2020 mfsc “Sportsman” catalog.
Made in USA.
Sometime in 2019, we reached out to our friends and classics’ replica specialists at Toyo Enterprises and submitted a vintage fabric swatch cut from a 1920’s-30’s pair of French work trousers. After studying each yarn of the intricate weave under a microscope (textile expert Arai San literally does that), instructions and tech-pack were given to a Japanese fabric mill to replicate the challenging textile…
The result is the magnifique selvedge Mock-Twist stripe twill of our “Le Parisien”!
Mock twist refers to the twisted white and black yarns giving the “salt & pepper” (or covert) aspect to the twill, with its specific vintage French workwear characteristics. Fancy striped patterns were quite typical of 1920’s-40’s French utilitarian clothing, maybe an attempt to add a bit of “chic” to blue collar outfits, and a touch of “mode de la ville” (city fashion) to rural dwellers? Period menswear catalogs and vintage swatch books document the wide variety of stripe woven fabric patterns available at the time, eye candy for the textile collector.
Today, these bold stripes may be more associated with “The Godfather” than with hard-working farmers, but the versatility of these washable cotton fabrics – suitable for both field work and as Sunday attire – , along with their sturdiness, might have been the reason of their popularity with the working class.
Significant amounts of new-old-stock workwear were still sitting on store shelves in France up until fairly recently. The old guard of French vintage pickers and theater costumers will remember a specific Army-Navy surplus store on the docks in Bordeaux, France, with stacks and stacks of NOS workwear, in all kinds of stripe twills or black/blue moleskine, just sitting there and gathering dust… My Dad had taken me to that specific store in the 1970’s-80’s, to stock-up on new blue jeans and old useful military gear, and I, of course, have been back and raided the place several times since. There were surprisingly still piles of dead-stock oldies and random goodies as-of my last visit in 2017. The lady still running the shop remembered my Dad. He was a charmer…
This original trousers/sportcoat set is the latest addition to the Mister Freedom® Continental family, an all made-in-USA concept of vintage-inspired glad rags for discerning adults.
Our “Le Parisien” Two-Piece Suit consists of two of our popular classic patterns, the MF® Continental Sportcoat and Continental Trousers.
The unstructured blazer pattern has been previously made available in an array of fine NOS fabrics, an indigo crosshatch twill, two grey cotton-linen twills, a light indigo “Player” denim, and an elegant tropical “Congo Gabardine” cotton-linen twill.
The Trousers have been released in brown Cacao Chambray, indigo Crosshatch Denim Twill, and light indigo “Player” Denim. All these are available as individual garments for a mix & match look.
This SS2020 Mock-Twist “Le Parisien” release is a perfect option for a matching Sportcoat/Trousers set, just as its popular 2018 black-coated denim two-piece “JC” suit predecessor.
The mfsc Continental “Le Parisien” Two-Piece Suit (Continental Sportcoat & Continental Trousers) in Mock-Twist stripe twill is designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
Sturdy 100% cotton Mock-Twist stripe twill, solid black selvedge, milled in Japan.
Pocketing & half lining/facing: NOS fancy woven stripe 100% cotton plain weave (ivory white with navy blue stripes), milled in Europe.
Continental “Le Parisien” SPORTCOAT:
* Unstructured silhouette.
* Lightweight and easily folded, perfect traveling companion.
* Vintage-vibe high button front.
* Corozo wood butons.
* Half shoulder floating lining, 100% cotton NOS fancy woven stripe twill.
* Side hip pockets with flaps.
* Pocket openings reinforced on the inside with facing fabric.
* Tonal 100% cotton stitching, all clean caballo (chainstitch) flat-felled seam construction, green color “Sportsman” signature chainstitch on the inside. No open edges or overlock.
* Made in USA.
Continental “Le Parisien” TROUSERS:
* Elegant late 1950′s early 1960’s type silhouette and fit, straight leg.
* Corozo wood fly and waist buttons.
* Selvedge leg out seam.
* Rear welt pockets.
* Trousers-style belt loops.
* Adjustable back cinch strap, with vintage NOS metal slide buckles.
* 100% cotton NOS fancy woven stripe twill pocket bags, waist band.
* Watch pocket.
* Tonal stitching, 100% cotton thread construction, with inside green chainstich MF® signature.
* Original “The SPORTSMAN” woven rayon label on rear waistband, concealed when wearing a belt.
* Tailor shop-style unfinished overlocked leg bottom, to suit your cuffing preferences.
* Made in USA.
SIZING/FIT
This explains how we size our garments.
The Continental Sportcoat and trousers come raw/unwashed. We recommend the usual initial 30mn cold soak/occasional hand agitation/spin dry/hang dry process.
The tagged size reflects the size of the garment after going through this process. The subtle variation of shrinkage between body fabric/lining fabric/cotton thread will result in puckering and roping, slightly altering the fit and drape. This Mock-Twist twill specific weave tends to slightly loosen up (stretch) after a rinse.
I personally opted for a snug Size 38 (Medium) in the Continental sportcoat and comfortable W32 trousers. These are my usual sizes in the Continental series and most mfsc garments.
Sportcoat sizing:
This Mock-Twist Sportcoat release is cut very trim compared to previous versions, and sizing-up might be an option for some, especially if one plans to layer with a sweater or thick shirt, or just wants a more relaxed/unstructured look. I actually could have gone with a Size 40, but decided to stick to Size 38 and only pair the jacket with a light dress shirt.
Trousers sizing:
The Continental “Le Parisien” Trousers are true to size. If you are a measured waist 32 inches, you are most-likely a stamped W32 in these. The waist is quite generous and I could fit into a W31, but preferred the leg silhouette of the W32, allowing wear with both dress shoes and Road Champs.
To accommodate fine tuning for the silhouette of your choice, we are releasing these in a few select odd sizes too (W29, W31 and W33).
Please note that the Continental Trousers pattern might not be a good option for all body types. Proportion-wise, those with Ronaldo-style muscular legs will probably look better in our regular Sportsman Chino models.
Trousers hemming:
After the initial soak/hang dry process, we recommend settling down on the final length of the bottom hem after gently wearing the trousers around the house a bit. The cotton fabric tends to naturally bunch/wrinkle and pull the leg up slightly. Letting this specific fabric react to your own body for an hour or so will allow you to decide on a proper classic leg break that works for you. I will opt for a classic 1 1/4 fold, and minimal break (photos only show a hem folded under.)
For a classic and more period look, we do not recommend bulky rolls, hand cuffing or contemporary “accordéon” stacking with these slacks.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements. Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry.
(Fit pic wearing a size 38 jacket and W32 trousers.)
 Continental Sportcoat “Le Parisien”  Continental Trousers “Le Parisien” CARE:
Wash with care. Cold water, delicate cycle only, minimal eco-friendly detergent. Turn garment inside-out to minimize potential unsightly marbling of the fabric. Hang dry.
Warning: Full wash cycle on regular cycle/hot water/heat dryer are not recommended and might cause damage to the seams and structure of the garment, also resulting in irreversible excessive shrinkage.
Sportcoat and trousers available separately or as a two-piece suit for substantial saving.
Continental “Le Parisien” SPORTCOAT:
Sizes:
Small (36)
Medium (38)
Large (40)
X-Large (42)
XX-Large (44)
Continental “Le Parisien” TROUSERS:
Sizes (inseam length about 36’’, left un-cuffed):
W 28
W 29
W 30
W 31
W 32
W 33
W 34
W 36
W 38
Continental “Le Parisien” Two-Piece Suit (Sportcoat + Trousers): Any size combination available, rebate issued at PayPal check out.
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, and be safe.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2020
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