Stone Island

Last updated
Stone Island
Company type Società per azioni
Industry Fashion
Founded1982;42 years ago (1982) in Ravarino, Italy
Founder Massimo Osti
HeadquartersRavarino, Italy
Key people
Robert Triefus (CEO)
Revenue 401 million (2022) [1]
Parent Moncler
Website Stone Island

Stone Island is an Italian luxury fashion house specialized in men's apparel, outerwear, and accessories headquartered in Ravarino, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Its core branding includes a Nautical star and compass, both of which is printed or overlaid atop a button-on cloth badge with green, yellow, and black detailing.

Contents

Founded in 1982 by Massimo Osti, the brand popularized during the 1980s and 1990s in Europe and Japan, and during the 2010s, in the U.S. and Canada. Stone Island uses trademark reflective fabric, dyeing compounds, and surface treatments to produce garments. It was acquired by Italian fashion house Moncler in 2020 for €1.15 billion. [2] [3]

It is a global staple of youth subculture as characterized by Italian Paninaro , English football casual, British, American, and Canadian hip hop culture, as well as world-wide streetwear. [4] [5]

History

Designer Massimo Osti founded Stone Island in 1982, in Ravarino, Italy. He founded the brand to compliment his flagship label, C.P. Company, which he started in 1971. [6] Osti sold 50% of Stone Island to GFT (Gruppo Finanziario Tessile) in 1983, before selling the remaining half to GFT in 1991. He left the company in 1994 and was succeeded by Paul Harvey as head designer from 1996 to 2008. GFT sold Stone Island to Italian businessman Carlo Rivetti in 1993 who combined the label with C.P. Company Sportswear Company SpA. [7] Stone Island rapidly popularized during the 1990s in Europe and Japan, and during the 2010s, in the U.S. and Canada. [8]

In 2017, Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings bought out a 30% stake in Stone Island valued at €345 million. [9] [10] Three years later, Italian fashion house Moncler bought a majority stake in Stone Island for a reported €1.15 billion. [11] [2] Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, Stone Island collaborated with other design companies such as Supreme, James Jebbia, Nike, Adidas, New Balance, among others. [12]

Brand identity

Stone Island's yellow-green Compass Badge, 2013 Stone Island.jpg
Stone Island's yellow-green Compass Badge, 2013

The name Stone Island is derived from Polish-British pre-modernist writer Joseph Conrad's novels wherein the words "stone" and "island" appear most frequently. [13] [14] According to founder Massimo Osti, his novels' exploration of "boats and sea" moved him to create a brand with "[a] new sensibility oriented to science instead of fashion". [12] The brand emphasizes anti-fashion, prioritizing function over form. [12] The logo references a compass, afixed with a Nautical star. It is recognizable by the use of a cloth badge that features the compass design on the left-side of a garment. [15]

Stone Island focuses on technical apparel research, development, and manufacturing. [16] It is known for its approach to fabrication through a range of dyeing techniques and surface treatments. These include the use of Raso Gommato in 1983, thermosensitive fabric in 1987, rubber wool in 1987, and reflective fabric in 1991. Originally the patches were green edged, badges from around the year 2000 onwards became black edged.

Subculture

Stone Island became influential in youth subculture for "wealthy middle-class teens" in Italy during the late 1980s for their unconventional fabrics and silhouettes. [12] From the mid 1990s the brand popularized in the football casual subculture in England and throughout the rest of Europe. [17] The brand is often associated with hooliganism and can be seen in many football hooliganism based films, such as Green Street and The Football Factory . Its presence in the U.S. and Canada starting in the early 2000s was bolstered by streetwear and hip hop culture. [8] Its largest consumer base was noted by Esquire as being "Milanese youth, English football fanatics, [athletes], and [celebrities]". [5] British magazine i-D described Stone Island as a high-end status symbol among youth who show off the compass logo in a practice known as "getting the badge in". [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hip hop fashion</span> Various styles of dress that originated in the United States

Hip-hop fashion refers to various styles of dress that originated from Urban Black America and inner city youth in cities like New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Being a major part of hip hop culture, it further developed in other cities across the United States, with each contributing different elements to the overall style that is now recognized worldwide.

The casual subculture is a subsection of football culture that is typified by hooliganism and the wearing of expensive designer clothing. The subculture originated in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s when many hooligans started wearing designer clothing labels and expensive sportswear such as Stone Island, CP Company, Lyle & Scott, Lacoste, Sergio Tacchini, Fila, Hackett, ellesse, Napapijri, Burburry, Gallini, Gabicci, Lois, Diadora, & Fred Perry in order to avoid the attention of police and to intimidate rivals. They did not wear club colours, so it was easier to infiltrate rival groups and to enter pubs. Some casuals have worn clothing items similar to those worn by mods. Casuals have been portrayed in films and television programmes such as ID, The Firm, The Football Factory, and Green Street. The documentary Casuals: The Story of the Legendary Terrace Fashion featuring Pat Nevin, Peter Hooton and Gary Bushell amongst others is about the fashion that started in the late 70s and into the 1980s.

Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding, 1980s nostalgia, and Japanese street fashion. Later, haute couture became an influence, and was in turn influenced by streetwear. Streetwear centers on comfortable clothing and accessories such as jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, and sneakers. Brands may create exclusivity through intentional product scarcity; enthusiasts follow particular brands and try to obtain limited edition releases, including via proxy purchases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salomon Group</span> French sports equipment manufacturing company

Salomon SAS is a French sports equipment manufacturing company headquartered in Annecy, France. It was founded in 1947 by François Salomon in the heart of the French Alps and is a major brand in outdoor sports equipment. Salomon is owned by Finnish retail conglomerate Amer Sports, along with Wilson, Atomic, Precor, and Arc'teryx, among others.

Japanese street fashion refers to a number of styles of contemporary modern clothing in Japan. Created from a mix of both local and foreign fashion brands, Japanese street fashions tend to have their own distinctive style, with some considered to be extreme and avant-garde, with similarities to the haute couture styles seen on European catwalks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arc'teryx</span> Canadian outdoor clothing company

Arc'teryx is a Canadian high-end design company specializing in outdoor apparel and equipment headquartered in North Vancouver, British Columbia. It focuses on technical apparel for mountaineering and Alpine sports, including related accessories. The company's name and logo reference the Archaeopteryx, the transitional fossil of early dinosaurs to modern dinosaurs (birds). Arc'teryx is known for its waterproof Gore-Tex shell jackets, knitwear, and down parkas.

Pal Zileri is an Italian luxury menswear brand owned by the sovereign wealth fund of the Qatari royal family. Pal Zileri is part of Forall Confezioni SpA. The brand was founded in Quinto Vicentino and is now headquartered in Milan. The brand is distributed via monobrand stores and 500 multibrand retailers worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000s in fashion</span> Fashion in the decade 2000–2009

The fashion of the 2000's is often described as a global mash up, where trends saw the fusion of vintage styles, global and ethnic clothing, as well as the fashions of numerous music-based subcultures. Hip-hop fashion generally was the most popular among young people of all sexes, followed by the retro inspired indie look later in the decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tod's</span> Italian luxury fashion house

Tod's S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house specialized in footwear, apparel, and related accessories headquartered in Marche, Italy. Its core branding includes an oval nameplate, a roaring lion, with signature brown and orange packaging. The company is an influencer in the Sprezzatura fashion movement. Its highest-selling products are pebble-sole “Gommino” driving shoes, leather (suede) loafers, boots, sneakers, and handbags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sneaker collecting</span> Hobby of acquisition and trading sneakers

Sneaker collecting is the acquisition and trading of sneakers as a hobby. It is often manifested by the use and collection of shoes made for particular sports, particularly basketball and skateboarding. A person involved in sneaker collecting is sometimes called a sneakerhead.

Thom Browne is an American fashion designer. He is the founder and head of design for Thom Browne, a luxury fashion brand based in New York City. Browne debuted his womenswear collection in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">59Fifty</span> Baseball cap model by New Era Cap Company

The 59FIFTY is a model of baseball cap made by the New Era Cap Company, a headwear company based in Buffalo, New York. The 59Fifty is the official on-field cap of Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball, and the official sideline cap of the National Football League and the National Basketball Association. It is also a fashion symbol, with the hip-hop community the first to adopt it in the 1980s and 1990s.

Massimo Osti (1944–2005) was an Italian garment engineer and fashion designer, most famous as the founder of the apparel brands Stone Island and C.P. Company. Osti's products were a mix of his own innovations and design ideas he got from studying military clothing, work-wear, and sportswear.

Moncler S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house specialized in ready-to-wear outerwear headquartered in Milan, Italy. Since its start as a down jacket boutique, Moncler has expanded to design vests, raincoats, windbreakers, knitwear, leather goods, footwear, fragrance, and related accessories. Its core branding includes the rooster (cockerel), "M" monogram, felt appliqué badge, crossed skis and cartoon duck mascot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010s in fashion</span> Fashion-related events during the 2010s

The 2010s were defined by hipster fashion, athleisure, a revival of austerity-era period pieces and alternative fashions, swag-inspired outfits, 1980s-style neon streetwear, and unisex 1990s-style elements influenced by grunge and skater fashions. The later years of the decade witnessed the growing importance in the western world of social media influencers paid to promote fast fashion brands on Pinterest and Instagram.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C.P. Company</span> Italian apparel brand

C.P. Company is an Italian apparel brand founded in 1971 by designer Massimo Osti. Initially called Chester Perry by the suggestion of his fashion entrepreneur friend Corrado Zannoni, its name was changed in 1978 following a lawsuit by Chester Barrie and Fred Perry, for the use of their first name and surname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remo Ruffini (businessman)</span> Italian businessman (born 1961)

Remo Ruffini is an Italian billionaire businessman, the chairman and CEO of the fashion company Moncler, and controls Ruffini Partecipazioni Srl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerwin Frost</span> American DJ, entertainer, and comedian from New York

Kerwin Frost is an American entertainer, DJ, talk show host, and comedian. He first rose to prominence in New York City's Soho Youth streetwear scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020s in fashion</span> Fashion-related events during the 2020s

The fashions of the 2020s represent a departure from 2010s fashion and feature a nostalgia for older aesthetics. They have been largely inspired by styles of the early-to-mid-2000s, late 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, and 1960s. Early in the decade, several publications noted the shortened trend and nostalgia cycle in 2020s fashion. Fashion was also shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a major impact on the fashion industry, and led to shifting retail and consumer trends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorpcore</span> Fashion trend

Gorpcore is a fashion trend in which outerwear typically designed for outdoor recreation is worn as streetwear. It has been described as "wearing functional outdoor wear in an urban, trendy style". This includes technical garments such as puffer jackets, hiking boots and fleeces, and brands such as The North Face, Patagonia and Arc'teryx. While the trend has a practical basis, it has also been embraced for its stylish appeal, with celebrities incorporating outdoor gear into everyday outfits. Coined in 2017, gorpcore emerged as a popular trend in the 2020s; some analysts suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic in part influenced this.

References

  1. "Moncler Buys Stone Island in Transformative Move". 7 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 Tognini, Giacomo. "Italian Billionaire Remo Ruffini Adding Hip-Hop Favored Label Stone Island To His Pricey Sportswear Brand Moncler". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  3. "Moncler mette le mani su Stone Island per 1,15 miliardi di euro". forbes.it. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  4. 1 2 Gordan, Callum (May 7, 2019). "An ode to Stone Island, the brand that Britain misunderstood". i-d.vice.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Rikhy, Trishna (2023-07-07). "Like the Brand Itself, the Best Stone Island Pieces Stand the Test of Time". Esquire. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  6. Company history Drapers Online, 2012
  7. "MY HISTORY, MY COMPANY BY CARLO RIVETTI".
  8. 1 2 Sullivan, Nick (2018-10-18). "Stone Island's Owner Explains How the Brand Blew Up in America". Esquire. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  9. "Stone Island Sells 30% Stake to Temasek". The Business of Fashion. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  10. "Moncler Takes Full Control of Stone Island". finance.yahoo.com. 2021-02-23. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  11. "Monclergroup - Stone Island: Brand Overview | Moncler Group". Monclergroup. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Nuti, Gregorio (August 5, 2021). "From Tela Stella to Kevlar, the history of the Stone Island brand". Lampoon Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  13. Flaccavento, Angelo (December 15, 2019). "'The clothes tags stated it clearly: 'Ideas from Massimo Osti.". System Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  14. Hawkins, Laura (2020-11-08). "Celebrating the fabric futurism of Stone Island". wallpaper.com. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  15. History of the iconic Stone Island Patch
  16. Lennox, Will (November 17, 2022). "Stone Island has finally embraced its hooliganism". GQ Australia. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  17. Hooligans BBC