Song for the Mute is your urban essential Co-founders Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty take us back to the beginning

In a neutral palette of black, white and grey that perfectly sums up the label’s gritty, authentic and altogether irresistible appeal, Song for the Mute’s autumn line is an homage to how in synch co-founders Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty are.

Ask them why they work so well together, and Tanaya explains, “We’re like brother and sister. We understand each other without really needing to express in words. We can tell what each other are thinking.” Ty agrees: “We are two very different people; we like different things, so there is that sort of yin and yang between us.”

It’s a straightforward answer to a question we asked the design duo as we sat in their Sydney office one afternoon. It’s clear that there is a great deal of trust and a natural connection between Tanaya and Ty, who have been working together to develop Song for the Mute’s distinctive vision since 2010.

The Australian label is known for its exceptional fabrications, with quality and incredible craftsmanship stitched into every seam. From humble beginnings, Song for the Mute has grown its reach, expanding into womenswear which offers a strong, urban vision of style equal to the men’s line. This is genuinely a labour of love for the pair. So, how did it all start?

“Melvin actually approached me,” Ty explains, “he studied graphic design back then and just wanted to make graphic tees. So, we started off with a few T-shirts and then we loved it so much that we thought, well, what if we added pants. And then it took us six months to make that one pair of pants!” Tanaya and Ty dissolve into laughter as they replay the learning curve of their earlier days. “Then, we thought why not a jacket… then a coat. And then it became eight pieces and a proper little collection that we’d put together. So, we needed to think of a name.”

Song for the Mute may not strike a chord as an obvious signifier, but Tanaya explains that it was something that simply made sense to the duo as they were considering options. “We didn’t even say it verbally, we typed it, we saw it and it just felt right,” he says. Much the same as this season’s line-up.