History

Stone Island was born from a fabric. In 1982, Italian designer Massimo Osti created Tela Stella, a heavy wash, resin-printed military grade canvas that became our hero material. There was a utilitarian, rugged feel to the fabric that was very different from the materials that Osti was working with at the time. Osti decided that such a unique fabric demanded a new brand that would reflect the same characteristics. Thus Stone Island was formed, and its insignia-like badge went on to become one of the most recognizable symbols in fashion.

Stone Island appealed to Osti because he was not interested in the regular, and neither was his business partner Carlo Rivetti, who steered the company ever since he joined it in 1983. Rivetti, witnessed the continuing casualization in the way men dressed, discarding suits in favor of more comfortable and functional clothing. He realized that Stone Island could be at the forefront of the casual revolution. And both Osti and Rivetti were interested in pushing boundaries and opening new possibilities in clothes making. That spirit of experimentation—with fabric, dyeing, and construction methods—has been embedded in Stone Island’s DNA, and has earned the brand its rightful reputation as one of the most forward-thinking companies in the world.

In the ensuing decades Stone Island cemented its esteem for cutting-edge technologies, such as garment dyeing and the use of unconventional materials like Kevlar® and Dyneema®. This scientific spirit of experimentation has carried through the decades of boundary-pushing work. You can see it in the very name of many of the proprietary fabrics Stone Island has developed over the years—Nylon Metal, Raso Gommato, Prismatic Cotton.

Throughout the years this spirit of innovation brought to Stone Island some of the most conceptual designers, such as Paul Harvey, Aitor Throup, and Errolson Hugh. Each of them enriched the brand with their vision and in turn learned from Stone Island’s accumulated knowledge base. The same spirit of experimentation, excellence, and obsession with product drives the design team at Stone Island today.

1980s

Inception 

Massimo Osti founds Stone Island on the promise of a military-grade cotton canvas fabric which he developed, refined, and ultimately named Tela Stella. He creates a capsule collection of seven jackets, inspired by military gear and workwear.

 

In 1983 Carlo Rivetti joins Stone Island shortly after its founding, propelling the brand to the forefront of the Italian fashion industry.

 

Raso Gommato, a rubberized coated canvas, is introduced in 1984.

 

The first Ice Jacket is introduced in 1989 using thermosensitive fabric sourced from Japan.

1990s

Carlo Rivetti spearheads Stone Island as Massimo Osti departs to pursue other projects. Paul Harvey joins the brand as head designer.

Stone Island starts researching reflectivity, introducing the Reflective jacket in its '992 collection.

Pure Metal Shell jacket is introduced into the collection. First experiments in dyeing Kevlar®.

2000s

Progression

After Paul Harvey’s departure, Carlo Rivetti begins to lead the creative design team.  

 

Rivetti appoints Errolson Hugh to design an experimental Shadow Project line. 

 

RASO GOMMATO HAND PAINTED CAMOUFLAGE, GRAPHITE, WAXED ICE JACKET, and LIQUID REFLECTIVE are introduced into the collection. 

2010s

Collaborations with Nike Lab, Adidas, Porter, Persol, and New Balance follow.

Ghost, a capsule of elevated offerings, with the badge matching the colour of the garment, is introduced in 2011.

In 2012 the brand celebrates its 30th anniversary with a major exhibition at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence, unveiled during the Pitti Uomo fair.

The Prototype Research series of experimental garments is introduced in 2016.

The LEATHER ICE JACKET DYNEEMA® layer and the REFLECTIVE KNIT are introduced into the collection.

2020s

Stone Island joins the Moncler group. In 2022 the brand celebrates its 40th anniversary, and plans for the next 40 years.