Harry’s Guide to Stone Island
Residing at the intersection of performance fabric innovation and modern street styling is Stone Island, the illustrious Italian casualwear label now available at Harry Rosen.
Stone Island’s iconic compass motif, most commonly sighted in patch form adorning the shoulders and chests of many of Stone Island’s incredibly coveted garments, is nothing short of a modern status symbol.
Synonymous with success and “in-the-know" style trends, the compass patch signifies everything the Italian casualwear brand represents; style, passion, innovation, and heritage.
The brand’s ability to create unique garments blending style and utility has cultivated loyal followings spanning from streetwear fanatics to popular musicians, artists, sports personalities, and beyond. With the ability to transcend time, trends, and technical limitations, Stone Island is a brand that truly appeals to everyone.
Since its foundation in 1982, Stone Island has been revered for its contemporary designs and innovative approach to material use, particularly across its ultra-coveted outerwear collections.
Stone Island's hallmark is its focus on functional, durable, and stylish garments, which often reference and incorporate military and workwear-inspired elements. Clothing made with purpose, be it for work or extreme weather, serves as a major source of inspiration for Stone Island. The brand’s garments aren’t just designed to look good but perform their function at a high-level – that's the Stone Island DNA.
Stone Island’s fabric research and development is second-to-none, and the brand is considered a pioneer in the use of cutting-edge fabric treatments, using materials that are often treated with unique dyeing techniques or coatings to create specific finishes and qualities, like water and wind repellency, reflectiveness, or even the ability to change colour.
Stone Island’s continuous dedication to fabric innovation is complemented by its progressive design philosophy, which combines style and practicality. The brand believes that the only way to make garments that will last for decades is by balancing both form and function.
For this reason, the appeal of Stone Island’s garments – both old and new – has remained constant since the brand’s beginnings. Each collection merges craftsmanship, originality, and authenticity to create purpose-built designer styles that also look great during your day-to-day.
Massimo Osti (1944–2005) is considered one of Italy’s most influential modern fashion designers and was the creative force behind some of the most groundbreaking concepts in contemporary menswear. Celebrated for his innovation in fabric design and garment construction, Osti played a pivotal role in shaping the modern landscape of luxury sportswear and technical fashion.
Even before founding Stone Island in 1982, Osti’s passion for exploring and experimenting with garment materials and manufacturing garnered him an early reputation during his days as a creative consultant for several different fashion companies. Osti’s fascination with utilitarian and military-inspired clothing eventually culminated in him developing the concept for Stone Island, where he combined cutting-edge textiles with high-performance functionality.
Osti's designs were characterized by his fabric choices, which largely focused on technical innovation, special dyeing processes, and unique textures and finishes, which consequently became hallmarks of the Stone Island brand. One of his most notable contributions was the creation of the Tela Stella, a fabric used for the first Stone Island jacket, which was treated to give it a distinctive, almost otherworldly appearance.
Throughout his career, Osti’s design approach was always based around authenticity and functionality through technical innovation, no matter which brand he was creating for. That being said, Stone Island is credited as being Osti’s biggest achievement.
