Stone Island

The bridge between industrial tailoring, sportswear and fashion runs through a small town near Bologna. It was sketched out by a former tire salesman who had no formal upbringing in fashion. Massimo Osti began Stone Island in 1982 as a single digit run of stone-washed, military-spec jackets made from tarpaulin. He asked his wife to find a name from author Joseph Conrad’s novels on maritime exploration. The wind rose compass insignia was inspired by his family’s sailboat. For Osti was devoted to garments that served “a man who travels across the planet, through different environments; nature, traffic, pollution, the urban adventure”. Stone Island’s design merged tradition with innovation in the pursuit of seamless function. Under the stewardship of Carlo Rivetti, the label recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, adding new chapters to its illustrious history.