Strategic Business Unit

SBU, or Strategic Business Unit, might seem like an odd name for a clothing company but it’s one which fits the enigmatic Rome-based label perfectly. Brothers Patrizio and Christiano Perfetti aren’t ones who choose to hide, but rather two men who prefer to do things their own way. Their shop name might be borderline un-Googleable, but the clothes they make are well worth the trouble that comes with hunting them down. The pair are fiercely proud of their familial lineage (they’re the twelfth generation of one the most ancient Roman families), leaving Rome as the only logical place to ground their business. Sitting just off the beautiful Piazza Navona, SBU is most famous for its classic, supple, ink-dyed jeans: made exclusively with the finest Japanese selvage denim and then produced, down to the last detail, in Italy.

One thing the brothers never compromise on is attention to detail. Anything from SBU is going to be beautifully made, right down to the last thread. They’re simple pieces, timeless in the best possible way. Craftsmanship sits right in the soul of Patrizio and Christiano – artisans in the truest sense of the word. Denim isn’t the only arena in which SBU excels, however. Their collection is a fine array of sophisticated casual clothing, sportswear, and tailored leather. All crisp cotton shirts and plain white t-shirts (“the white t-shirt is like the basic shape of everything above the waistline,” Christiano says. “It is the only piece that accomplishes whatever purpose you want it for,”) alongside motorcycle jackets and canvas plimsoles (with the odd 100% cashmere balaclava thrown in), the boys know their basics well.

With a label so defined by the stamp of its creators, who better than the Perfetti’s to explain what they do: “SBU denim and fashion collections are produced with the endeavour to realize a modern classic wardrobe obtained with the progressive incorporation of garments having different origin and function. Those “units”, linked one to another, integrate and complete the previous. Each strategic unit constitutes connected elements with a diverse interpretation.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.