buttons

Inspiration

Polo Shirts

Buttons

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• The Fraternity & Co’s buttons are made by master craftsmen at Firmin upholding a 350yrs secretive tradition of casting shank buttons; it was once said to know the history of buttons, is to know the very history of fashion.

• It fashioned cultures, trends, arts, wars.
• We’re using antique shank buttons mostly used on blazers as accoutrements on the polo shirt’s placket. These traditional button styles hail from the "golden age" of button making and define the shirt and make it look old-worldly whilst conveying a sartorial elegance that is timeless. The buttons are cast in brass, then gilt, and burnished by craftsmen using the same age old traditional methods the Victorians’ used of die stamping: an archaic method which is both costly and time consuming. Production takes up to 3 months, from start to finish, and then each individual button is hand finished to give it a matte glow.

• During the course of history; countries, kings, queens, nobles, and the military used the “button” to commemorate important occasions such as victories, status, and inaugurations. Today, the ‘button’ has deservedly earned its place in the world of memorabilia as a valued collector’s item.
• (The George Washington - 1789 inaugural button is currently amongst the most sought after buttons in America.) Rare and good examples of 18th century buttons are currently going for at least £4,000, and buttons from the 20th century are fetching from £5.

• Essentially, what makes a button collectable is its rarity, quality, history, for whom, what and why they were made. Buying a Fraternity & Co button automatically qualifies your button as a collector’s item and into the collector’s market for the following reason:

• The Fraternity & Co is launching its Founding Fellowship with 2 buttons:

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  Legacy Founding Fellowship (CLOSED)

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  Founding Fellowship (OPEN)