Stone Island, an assortment of styles for cosmopolitan men.
A perfect marriage of Italian classicism and the art of inventing new textiles, Stone Island performs a balancing act with very different styles. Although the brand now offers women's ranges, it made its name initially with the help of pieces with seafaring and military overtones targeting the male wardrobe.
An identity with limitless creativity.
Like its collections, which are a blend of urban, sporty and modern trends, even the history of Stone Island is atypical. In 1975, Carlo Rivetti joined the group Finanziario Tessile, which held the licences of rising designers like Giorgio Armani and Valentino. His plan was to develop a new, more timeless range. In 1983, he met Massimo Osti, the creative director of a company at the forefront of sportswear, and over time he would acquire 100% of Massimo Osti's shares. One year previously, an ingenious idea had occurred to Massimo to transform canvas from a truck tarpaulin into a limited edition collection of men's jackets, embellished with a wind rose reminiscent of a military insignia. The brand Stone Island was born.
Massimo bowed out of the adventure ten years later, to be replaced in 1996 by a British designer called Paul Harvey, who had himself been a lorry driver for a while. Remaining loyal to the philosophy of Stone Island, constantly seeking to develop in technical and functional terms, Paul injected the Italian setup with his vision of the 21st century. In 2008, it was his turn to withdraw, to make way for an eclectic and multicultural design team, perfect in keeping with the brand's initial character. Recent collaborations by the label with big names like Supreme and NikeLab, known for designing sneakers more than anything else, confirmed its position as an undisputed leader in sportswear and streetwear.
A wind rose in perpetual motion.
Whereas the logo of Stone Island clothes has not changed since 1982, it is in the sphere of production processes that the Italian firm is being incredibly inventive. A true chemist, when Massimo started out, he already showed evidence of unparalleled know-how in the elaboration of dyes, which he deftly applied to fibres as surprising as monofilament nylon, PrimaLoft insulation and heat-sensitive fabric, that changed colour depending on the outside temperature. Turning his experiments into best sellers, Stone Island coats, parkas, bomber jackets, padded jackets and raincoats quickly gained unanimous popularity, through a succession of legendary series such as Ghost, Marina, Shell and Tela. Full ranges then appeared on the scene comprising men's trousers, jeans, shorts, polo shirts, T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts and cardigans, alongside lines of leather goods and accessories.
Like a talented athlete, the House of Stone Island likes to set itself ever more daring challenges, to match the technical prowess it has accrued. There is no doubt that the ambassadors of the brand with the logo that will never go out of fashion will continue to walk the stadiums, streets, skate parks and even rap concerts for a very long time to come. Amongst the emblematic pieces of the label with the compass, you can find: