Stoney

The success of “Stoney”, officially Stone Island, at the initial stage and later can be attributed entirely to the merit of Massimo Osti, the founder of the Stone Island brand, which launched in 1982. Working on his other equally famous brand CP Company since 1970, Massimo gained experience, which undoubtedly played a role in the success of Stone Island.

Many people interested in the fashion industry and directly creating their products are familiar with silkscreen printing. Massimo Osti used this new technology to create the placed-print-based t-shirt collection for the Chomp Chomp brand in 1968. By developing Stone Island, Massimo became widely known for his innovative techniques.

A striking example of such techniques is the “Ice Jacket”, a thermosensitive jacket that drastically changes colour with temperature change. Another example of Massimo’s merit is the liquid reflective jacket which reflects light off tiny glass microspheres and changes colour when liquid hits the material. In the mid-1990s, Stone Island was taken over by Massimo’s friend Carlo Rivetti. Thanks to Carlo, the brand continues to grow to this day. An example of the modern technology used by Stone Island is e-dye, which allows the use of 85% less water, 90% less harmful chemicals, and 12% less CO₂ emissions compared to traditional piece dyeing. Using such technologies directly allows the brand to develop Corporate Social Responsibility.

The rise of UK Grime music, where the brand was repeatedly mentioned, as well as American rappers such as A$AP Nast, Travis Scott and Drake, who often appeared in public at Stone Island, brought the popularity to the brand among young people. All this gave vast media exposure to the brand and allowed it to scatter on social networks. It is also worth noting that English football fans have built a whole culture around Stone Island. Although this is a relatively narrow caste of people, this gave some colour to the already rich history of the formation of Stone Island.

For many people, Stone Island is the reason for visiting vintage stores. The fact that Stone Island can be found on the secondary market allows people who choose pre-loved to enjoy the quality and design of the brand. Many people collect rare vintage Stone Island pieces from the Massimo Osti era, which makes buying used items even more reasonable.

To sum it up, it should be noted that Stone Island has a visible position in the fashion industry and goes beyond it, attracting completely different castes of people and bringing them together. Due to the positive influence of the brand, it can be deservedly put on a par with other market giants!

References

• blog.woodhouseclothing.com. 2022. Woodhouse Blog | Massimo Osti – The History Behind The Innovation. [online] Available at: <https://blog.woodhouseclothing.com/massimo-osti-the-history-behind-the-innovation/> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• Highsnobiety. 2022. Dear Americans, Here’s What You Need to Know About Stone Island. [online] Available at: <https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/stone-island-history/> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• Rivetti, C., 2022. MY HISTORY, MY COMPANY BY CARLO RIVETTI. [online] www.stoneisland.com. Available at: <https://www.stoneisland.com/experience/en/the-brand/my-history/> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• Halil, T., 2022. THE RISE OF STONE ISLAND: FROM HOOLIGAN TO HIGH FASHION. [online] CULTED. Available at: <https://culted.com/the-rise-of-stone-island-from-hooligan-to-high-fashion/> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• Instagram.com. 2022. Massimo Osti Archive (@massimoostiarchive) • Instagram photos and videos. [online] Available at: <https://instagram.com/massimoostiarchive?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• E-dye.com. 2022. e.dye®. [online] Available at: <https://e-dye.com> [Accessed 2 October 2022].
• Instagram.com. 2022. champagnepapi • Instagram photos and videos. [online] Available at: <https://instagram.com/champagnepapi?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=> [Accessed 2 October 2022].