Pocket Guide: Button Brothers

Although they share a commonality in being well dressed, Palmer Mutandwa and Marvin Holder, the duo behind the Australia-based tailoring service Button Brothers, have different points of reference. “My style stems from the 1920s and thirties Harlem Renaissance,” says Marvin. “It’s more colourful and more experimental than Palmer’s. I like to push boundaries.” Palmer, on the other hand, describes his as Afro-sartorialist, drawing on classic tailoring while injecting references to his heritage. “My style was cultivated from a very young age through church and school,” Palmer says. The pair grew up on different continents — Palmer in Zimbabwe and Marvin in Trinidad and Tobago — and met in Melbourne after a mutual friend introduced them at a party. They quickly realised that their values were well aligned, and parlayed an appreciation of fine craftsmanship and exceptional style into a business. “The idea of creating and introducing artisanal pieces to a global clientele resonated with us both,” says Marvin. As well as offering style advice, the pair offer made-to-measure tailoring in collaboration with Naples-based Luca Grassia. They then take this to clients in Australia and South Africa through trunk shows, helping to spread those ideals to the far reaches of the world.