Picture this; a young man about to embark on a career that would garner him every success imaginable. An exceptional mind with little to nothing holding him back, except for a small glint of ‘what if?’ Through sheer determination of will, Melvin Tanaya was able to create his eclectic clothing brand ‘Song for the Mute’ with nary the ability to sew.

Discontent with the fit of men’s shirts, Melvin did what any visionary would do; he made his own. Seeking the aid of high school friend and eventual collaborator and co-founder of SFTM, Melvin was able to craft his ideal threads.

The initial idea for a shirt led way to more and more garments until the need to fill a now apparent void in the menswear market became apparent. Fast forward roughly 10 years (and several pairs of new balance later) and ‘Song For The Mute’ has reached a near global fever pitch, amassing a cult following of die hard fans ready to ink the labels syllables into their skin.

From working out of the back of a car to not being able to keep up with the mass of orders flying his way, Melvin Tanaya has proved that a traditional education is not necessary to reach the summits of success.

For more on Melvin and Song For The Mute, visit songforthemute.com