MISTER FREEDOM

[thinkfilm28]

I was in this store called Mister Freedom on Beverly Blvd in LA and I must say its like a kid in a candy store. tons of deadstock raw levis not the repro stuff. The guy carries tones of Sugarcane, Lees -- The prices aren't cheap but, if you are into one of kind stuff this is the place for you. I can't begin to say how much I was blown away. Kinda puts RRL stores to shame.

here's a link:

http://misterfreedom.com/

[dokydoky]

Sounds waaaaay out of my price range, but I think I'll check that place out next time I'm there, just to see what it's like. Nice tip.

[diewhitegirls]

Worst. Website. Ever.

[No -]

^hahahaha it's true! :eek:

[thinkfilm28]

Worst. Website. Ever.

It's not really about the website, it's about the quality of items carried there. Anyone can have a flashy website but stock a bunch of crap. This dude has a shit load of really amazing stuff.

[Dogfarm]

It's not really about the website, it's about the quality of items carried there. Anyone can have a flashy website but stock a bunch of crap. This dude has a shit load of really amazing stuff.

I don't care about flashy websites but it can be clean and neat and fit on your screen, and have some sort of order and care put into it.

When I do construction work anything a client sees is a reflection of my business; so when I send in an estimate it is clean and neat, easy to read and done with great care and pride which in turn is a reflection of the work I do.

I can see from his website that he carries some nice products but give be a f**king break with this website it shows me sloppy careless work regardless of what he might actually do, he would be better off with a blank page that had his address and phone number on it. For someone who should be meticulous about details this website is horrible.

[fade to black2]

sounds a bit too exclusive/expensive considering it's a thrift store...based on the pics the selection looks impressive. The store reminds me a bit of What Comes Around Goes Around.

Are there any thrift stores around the USA that can rival these stores in selection, but offer accessible prices for the goods as well?

[Kittybiccy]

hoping to go back to Cali around easter so may go have a look bt that site was waaay too big for my poor 12" screen!

Are there any thrift stores around the USA that can rival these stores in selection, but offer accessible prices for the goods as well?

good point, especially around the Burbank/LA area?

[thinkfilm28]

I don't care about flashy websites but it can be clean and neat and fit on your screen, and have some sort of order and care put into it.

When I do construction work anything a client sees is a reflection of my business; so when I send in an estimate it is clean and neat, easy to read and done with great care and pride which in turn is a reflection of the work I do.

I can see from his website that he carries some nice products but give be a f**king break with this website it shows me sloppy careless work regardless of what he might actually do, he would be better off with a blank page that had his address and phone number on it. For someone who should be meticulous about details this website is horrible.

I concur, the website leaves something to be desired. I was basically reiterating what I found and wanted to share this with the super denim community.I personally think he has a great looking store and collection. You guys can e-mail him with suggestions on how to improve his website.

Anyway, I'm not about focusing on the negative, but the positive. Dogfarm, like your informative posts.

[Dogfarm]

I like your post too. I think the stuff he carries looks good. And I like the idea of the store.

[GoodHustle]

hoping to go back to Cali around easter so may go have a look bt that site was waaay too big for my poor 12" screen!

good point, especially around the Burbank/LA area?

I live in Burbank / Toluca Lake, and there are a good amount of thrift stores in this area. All you need to do is take a drive down Magnolia Blvd. (from Hollywood Way to Victory), and you'll find about 10-14 thrift / vintage stores within 2 miles.

[tweeds]

"BB: What look would you like to see make a comeback?

CL: Guys wearing three piece suits, even just to go grocery shopping."

[damnIam]

Cool stuff...but damn I know he's charging a grip for everthing in there. Most of that stuff would take years of thrifting to find, so I am sure he is putting a premium for everthing. Take the overalls for instance, I am sure they would be very appealing if you were in the store lusting after them,but when you got home and realized you paid half a k for a wore out pair of overalls you might realize how silly you are. Also, alot of that stuff appears to have been overly customized and seems alittle "revisionist" to me. In the end though, if you got the dough and don't have the time for thrifting...you could probably get what you wanted there.

I do like what he had to say regarding individual style. Regardless of my negative comments I really like his inventory and if I were rich I would have a freaking field day in there. I think he probably is trying to sell most of the pieces as "inspiration" examples for collections like he stated.

[jubei]

^ agree totally

[aubrgene]

I live in L.A. so I'll check them out. Hope it's not too chi-chi. I don't know but I like L.A. style. I don't know too many people here who wants to look like Tom Cruise--haha.

[MisterFreedom]

My website is indeed an insult to aesthetics...Look at my storefront and you'll see that the wrapping hasn't been my priority last christmas.

It's just me and my girl running the show, so cruel choices have to be made regarding which specific issue to address. New hangers or new display cabinet? New building facade or buying trip? Decent website or roof leaks?

The roof didn't leak this weekend.

But my website is still insulting. (a friend has been working on something decent on his free time though...)

Just had this new store opened for 1/2 a year, starting from a building with no water/power and with limited savings. I put them all in there.

I have been focusing on getting decent merchandise in, to keep things inspiring to my customers and me.

As for prices, they are according to my cost/travel expenses/time/demand. As those of you who visited the store know, there are no pushy sales persons twisting arms or making you uncomfortable.

As for BB quote, although I sport a Jackson Pollock uniform almost everyday, I prefer seeing 3pc suits rather than badly designed and artificially distressed jeans. Fashion jeans are to denim what Kenny G is to jazz for a Sidney Bechet fan: A mistake.

Mister Freedom is an extension of myself and not a gimmick to make a buck.

If it does one day, maybe I’d have deserved it. There's blood and sweat in that place. Really.

I take all comments very personally so I thank you for being honest and leading me to improve things.

Merci Messieurs.

Christophe Loiron @ "Mister Freedom"

PS: Thanks a bunch to thinkfilm28 for being cool to my cause and to all the others for being honest.

[snugglepony]

welcome to the future mr. freedom!

next time i'm in LA visiting friends, i'll definitely stop in.

[tweeds]

welcome to superfuture, chris/misterfreedom

i liked that BB quote on 3 piece suits,

and i like your comparison of kenny G and fashion jeans, versus real denim, sidney bechet and jazz. (i dig pee wee russell myself)

[__3xL]

3 piece suits aren't in at present ? oh ... darn ...

[Bill2]

I went to Mister Freedom today after reading this thread. Great store. Got a chance to breifly meet Christopher, but he was tied up entertaining reps (owners??) of/from Sugar Cane at the time. They have lots of vintage boots, both western and workwear. Lots of vintage shirts and non denim. The denim selection is varied and interesting. They have Hawaii's and Okinawas in stock from sugar cane, the first time I had seen in person either of them. I ended up buying a pair of Okinawas, what a gorgeous pair of jeans!

I also got the downlow on a pair of MisterFreedomxSugar Cane collabo's that are in the works. I could say more, but there will only be 50 pair availible raw, and I want them!

I asked some of the Sugar Cane guys (very japanese, heavy accent, somewhat decent english) about the lawsuit and he just kindof shook his head and said over 300 companies have been involved now. I asked about the Union Star jeans and he looked astonished and asked how I knew about them; I said Blue in Green.

Before I figured out that the japanese guys were sugar cane reps I was getting a big kick out of watching them shop around the store and identify what they had on in my head: All sugarcane jeans obviously, a pair of redwings, a pair of danners, a pair of Whites. Mostly flannels and western shirts, raybans. Exactly what you'd think they'd wear

All in all a good super-day. And....another pair of raw denim to break in......fuck

[tweeds]

Bill - that sounds awesome

did you ask if were they SC's local reps, or did they fly in from japan?

and since you mentioned what the japanese men were wearing...what was christophe wearing?

[nappyhead jenkins]

I love this story cause it has the exact kind of details i would peep out

[Bill2]

Christophe was wearing some lightweight mechanic style jeans. I think he had either sewn them himself, or altered them from another pair. He wore big cuffs and on one leg had a selvage line that went around the leg at mid-calf. Somewhat anonymous beat black work boots. The jeans looked dirty but not all that faded yet. They looked like he really actually worked in them.

The other guy working there was wearing a pair of lvc 47s that looked really slim for 47's. They were really faded out beatifully, with a real dark brown hue on the faded areas. They had a few patches on the legs/knees. I think he was wearing chucks...but I can't remember...by the time I was talking to him I was trying to choose between Hawaii and Okinawa.

[GoodHustle]

Wow Bill, thanks for the mini report. A store in LA carrying Sugarcane, this is all so exciting! If you don't mind me asking, what were the prices like for the canes?

[Bill2]

Hawaiis and Okinawas both $279

[GoodHustle]

Hawaiis and Okinawas both $279

Thanks! Those are some very good prices too...even with the sales tax, they'll be a couple of dollars cheaper than what you might pay if you ordered from BiG.

[YoungPunch]

Hy bill, thanks for the report on this store, it sounds awesome! Did you by any chance find out how are the real vintage pieces (jeans, jackets, boots, etc..) are priced? Outlandishly expensive or reasonably priced??

Thanks

[Bill2]

There seemed to be a good mix interms of pricing of vintage stuff. There was plenty of amazing looking vintage boots and denim that were rather pricey, but, there was also a lot of what to me looked like WWII era stuff (non denim, chinos, workshirts/coats etc) that were very reasonable for what they were. I will be going back soon to get some shirts.

For those of you local L.A folks...the store used to be on Martel, just off of Melrose. I used to stop in there from time to time last year, but then one day it was gone! I nearly cried. No we know where it went

[chuck.r]

For those of you local L.A folks...the store used to be on Martel, just off of Melrose. I used to stop in there from time to time last year, but then one day it was gone! I nearly cried. No we know where it went

That's exactly what happened to me, Mr. Freedom used to be one of my stops whenever I hit up Melrose. And one day it was just empty and I was so crushed. I hoenstly thought they went out of business because I literally thought it was too good to be true.

Yeah things are a bit pricey, but the stock is ridiculous from what I remember. Lots of WWII-era, 50's hotrod and biker-culture, very Americana inspired. And it was hands-down the coolest-looking vintage store (don't let the website sway you), imo much nicer than WCAGA, and though still a bit pricey, it's still not as bad. NY rents must be much higher I guess, and it's probably more in demand in terms of stylists and designers looking for inspiration.

Haven't been to the Beverly blvd store but I'm definately checking it out when i go back in the summer. And I must've been so wrong in my assumption of why you left martel, it looks like you've moved to an even better location.

Christophe, you probably don't remember me, but like a year or so ago I interviewed you for my school paper, I was doing an article on all the vintage places around Melrose. I was the little Asian kid with his brother.

Speaking of which, I was there on a sale day once, and my brother picked up a vintage YSL (or was it Givenchy?) charcoal 3-piece suit in impeccable condition (no thrift-stink) for 50 bucks. So some things might be expensive, but you can find deals too. Personally, I'd go back every time just to look at the merch. It's a great store, very inspirational.

[chuck.r]

As those of you who visited the store know, there are no pushy sales persons twisting arms or making you uncomfortable.

Which reminds me, I remember there being a very cute japanese salesgirl at the martel store, A+. I hope she's still around.