Written by Menswear Style in Brands on the 17th June 2020

A blend of quality, innovative fabric, and exclusive artistry defines the Stone Island DNA. The iconic brand is a symbol of unique innovation and experiments in every design. The name offers identity to the male fashion world with the creation of exclusive men's apparel, accessories, and footwear. The Italian luxury fashion brand is famous for its compass badge and exceptional creations. The brand has significant associations with football culture and music, which helps to rank the brand as one of the top fashion brands in the luxury market. Stone Island is known to experiments with fabrics and textiles, which makes it stand out as an innovator in apparel.

Foundation 

Stone Island has a rich history dating back to 1982 founded by the famous designer Massimo Osti. The founder started as a stylist director for renowned textile business CP company, a brand which was recognised for its high-quality sportswear and innovative designs. It was here that new fabric Tella Stella was first introduced. The material was unique and initially used for truck oilcloths. It was different and challenging to use since the colours were different on either side. Massimo came up with an idea to create new sportswear from the canvas, and the creation of seven exclusive jackets was introduced with this hard to modify canvas. The material needed to be washed ten times over with a pumice stone before it was ready to use. The military and navy highly embraced the first production in 1983.

Stone Island Stores 

To reach a wide range of clientele, Stone Island have opened a line of 23 stores globally over the years. The brand has new flagships such as the Toronto Yorkville Avenue location which was the first store to present menswear only garments in Canada. Eight stores are located in Italy, three in Germany, two in Netherlands two in South Korea, and two in France. There are also stores in London, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. The brand also has a significant number of wholesale shops selling Stone Island products globally. 

Brands Innovations 

Over the years, Stone Island has introduced innovations to the fashion market. They have evolved with the years, creating multicultural styles to fit into the contemporary world of fashion. The vision of their directors and designers is to venture into new creations through lab tests and experiments. They currently have unique fabrics such as micro reps and nylon metal, with popular innovations such as their heat reactive jacket.

We look into the brand innovations, stores, and history of Stone Island who redefines the common conception of sportswear.