Mister Freedom Denim Peacoat

[Ishmael]

Surely it's not that difficult to send an email. Surely you'll want to ask further questions when you check availability (if you're a serious buyer).

I think MF's Wordpress write-ups are great, and it's obvious that his non web store approach is a marketing strategy in its own right.

By the way, a lot of the MF stuff (i.e. the stuff made in Japan) will be significantly cheaper from Japan.

 

[majormajor]

Surely it's not that difficult to send an email. Surely you'll want to ask further questions when you check availability (if you're a serious buyer).

I think MF's Wordpress write-ups are great, and it's obvious that his non web store approach is a marketing strategy in its own right.

By the way, a lot of the MF stuff (i.e. the stuff made in Japan) will be significantly cheaper from Japan.

Dead right, Ish. If I'm a prospective customer, it is not hard to send an Email.

But by the same token, it is not hard for ANY business to have a proper commerce site. And then I just push the right button and buy stuff.

The likes of "one man bands" like John Chapman, who is far more "one-off" in his production than MF, can manage it. Small family run businesses like Aero can manage it. Even the inward-looking Japanese can manage it for their own folks.

Looking at the MF "site" (I use that expression guardedly), you can't even distinguish between archive shots of long gone old collections and new stuff that has yet to come out. It's simply a mess. Doing write-ups using the wrong software is NOT a marketing strategy.

Maybe he should write his stuff in AutoCad - or maybe FruityLoops? Or maybe just write songs about the stuff, instead of bothering with photographs??
If he doesn't want to do mail order, that's cool. His perogative. But give up with the lame site.

Would I trust such an inept company, who plainly don't seem to give a sh*t about mail order commerce, with my hard earned cash on a mail-order deal?

......................................

 

[herringbonekid]

Mister Freedom's 'site' is basically a Wordpress blog that's grown rather large.
if you start going back through older entries it's nigh impossible to tell what's currently for sale and what's sold out.
i agree it's very confusing. i also get the impression that the owner likes it to be like that.

 

[Ishmael]

My very wise wife often warns me not to make my opinion the rule.
The world is bound to fail you when you think like that, but good luck with it.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Having had an email discussion about the site.
They like it the way it is. They want emails and phone calls.
For them it works.

 

[herringbonekid]

... i also get the impression that the owner likes it to be like that.

let me clarify; making things hard to get hold of, whether by having a difficult-to-buy-from site, limited editions, small quantities or very high prices increases 'exclusivity' and therefore desirability.
as far as i'm aware Mister Freedom's stuff always sells out, so i'm sure he knows what he's doing. i have no beef with that approach at all.

 

[majormajor]

Roy Denim is another one. Another purveyor of "unobtainium".....

Lovely pictures on the site of his US "studio" where he lovingly makes his jeans from the very best denim on his wonderful collection of Union Special Sewing Machines.

He waxes lyrical about the special one he has just for making belt loops. He has examples of buttonholes nailed on the wall, and has run up little denim pouches to hold batches of buttons.

Obviously a REAL denim craftsman.

So what if you want to buy a pair of his fabulous productions? Well, he leaves that to selfedge.com, where he "sends the jeans in batches of 100"..

So we have a look at selfedge.com (that's the site with REALLY tiny pictures of their garments, so you can't really see what you are buying), and here we discover that for a fairly regular size (I take 32-34"), there are precisely NO jeans available. And there hasn't been for the last 6 months.

But hey, that's the cool thing with denim now. Make it "exclusive". Turn it into unobtainium. Yeah, right

If Levi Strauss and H D Lee had adopted the same philosophies back in the early 20th Century, these "artists" would have nothing to recreate.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

unobtainium is the way of all Jean things now as well as Japanese jeans as well. Make just a few sizes in a small batch and price high.
Make your money off a few customers.

 

[majormajor]

unobtainium is the way of all Jean things now as well as Japanese jeans as well. Make just a few sizes in a small batch and price high.
Make your money off a few customers.

Exactly. Which is just the aspect of their "business" that is so numb. And ultimately shortsighted, because these "whim" companies rarely last that long, as the individuals find something more interesting to do.

And I repeat:
If Levi Strauss and H D Lee had adopted the same philosophies back in the early 20th Century, these "artists" would have nothing to recreate.

 

[herringbonekid]

majormajor, i understand your frustration, but often these small companies (more like cottage industries really) are so small that they simply can't produce anywhere near the quantities that larger, production line companies do.

 

[majormajor]

majormajor, i understand your frustration, but often these small companies (more like cottage industries really) are so small that they simply can't produce anywhere near the quantities that larger, production line companies do.

Have a look at Freddies of Pinewood.

http://www.freddiesofpinewood.co.uk/

A tiny business, run from someone's house, but they manage to have a site that works, they usually have stock, and they deliver in a couple of days.

And they make brilliant jeans out of excellent selfedge denim.

It doesn't HAVE to be hard

 

[herringbonekid]

Freddies aren't going for the 'exclusive' artisan angle and their site is much more down to earth. that will appeal to some and turn others off.

personally i like the way http://www.e-workers.net/ does it.

...you get an email telling you what's coming up next, you order your size and pay in advance. a couple of months later it arrives.
you still feel that you're getting a 'limited quantity' garment (which i like) but there's no desperate hunt.

 

[Sloan1874]

Those look fantastic, but they only drop to 32" :eeek: What are their sizings like?

 

[majormajor]

Freddies aren't going for the 'exclusive' artisan angle.

Since when was a pair of frigging jeans "artisan"?? Just like A2 leathers, the originals were made, by Levi, Lee et al, in factories. Were those old jeans SO bad?

and their site is much more down to earth

And your point is??

 

[majormajor]

Those look fantastic, but they only drop to 32" :eeek: What are their sizings like?

Freddies are pretty close fitting around the hips. I get my regular size, and until they stretch a bit, are a pain to get on. But overall, an excellent fit

 

[herringbonekid]

And your point is??

what i said above; there's a brand to suit all customers.
if you think that higher priced / exclusive / 'artisan' brands are pretentious and annoying then don't shop there. take your money elsewhere.

 

[majormajor]

what i said above; there's a brand to suit all customers.
if you think that higher priced / exclusive / 'artisan' brands are pretentious and annoying then don't shop there. take your money elsewhere.

A pair of selfedge five pocket jeans. Straight legs. Rivets on the joins. Buttons on the fly. Brace buttons if you fancy.

No amount of "artisan" dressing is required or necessary.

As Bob Dylan said (whilst wearing a pair of Levi's made in a factory) "You can fool all of the people some time, and some of the people all the time".

As you say, you pays your money..........

 

[David Conwill]

For foul weather outerwear denim is a non starter unless it's been oiled or something else to make it a bit more waterproof. I'd want a thick old lining too, sheepskin maybe.

It's very nice looking denim I'll admit.

I think the trick is to think of this not as a peacoat made of denim, but as a denim jacket cut as a peacoat. I've never liked the high-and-tight fit of most denim jackets, but I could certainly see wearing this. I suspect it's out of my price range, however.

 

[David Conwill]

For foul weather outerwear denim is a non starter unless it's been oiled or something else to make it a bit more waterproof. I'd want a thick old lining too, sheepskin maybe.

It's very nice looking denim I'll admit.

I think the trick is to think of this not as a peacoat made of denim, but as a denim jacket cut as a peacoat. I've never liked the high-and-tight fit of most denim jackets, but I could certainly see wearing this. I suspect it's out of my price range, however.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

No amount of "artisan" dressing is required or necessary.

Oh well. Why do we bother to post on forums about this stuff if it is really all the same. [huh]

Mister Freedom and workwear blogs are symbiotic. They write about his products just like the vintage stuff they found on and offline. Part of the appeal is that this things are rare and someone does rave about them... which does produce some cravings in the readership. It works for them.