A Brief History of Stone Island.

Stone Island is a brand with a rich history in the fashion world, but its cultural importance is far more intriguing to me. Founded in 1982 by Massimo Osti, initially as a tributary of C.P. Company, Osti’s main project, however, Stoney is now the far bigger of the two. 

To truly understand Stone Island’s cultural impact, I must first educate you, my dearest reader, with a short trip down memory lane. The ‘Football Casuals’, or ‘Casuals’ to me, make up a subsection of Football culture in the UK, typified by hooliganism and the wearing of expensive designer clothing, affectionately known as ‘Clobber’ on occasion. In the metaphorical album of football, the Casuals would be the producer - much of what you see in the press, media, and even on the pitch is a byproduct of the fans, and there are no greater fans than the Casuals, contrary to what the name may initially suggest. The Casuals came about as a result of increased police surveillance at football games in the late 70’s - it was pure idiocy to wear club colors outside a ground if you wanted a scrap with anyone other than the boys in blue, so, die-hard fans began to get in touch with their fashionable side. Liverpool fans, in particular, adopted this trend early, taking style cues from European fashion as a result of countless away days on the continent. These outfits were usually made up of Adidas Originals trainers, straight-leg jeans, and a simple jacket, such as a Harrington, inspired by the ‘mod’ culture of the ’60s and ’70s. By the mid 80’s ‘Casuals’ was a common term, and recognized by many as a genuine subculture, so where does Stone Island come into it? Well, by the early ’90s, Stoney had grown in popularity, and, given the immense quality of soccer on show in Italy’s Serie A, it is no surprise that when Britain’s leading teams came to face those from Il Bel Paese they were left smitten by Stone Island, and thus the Casuals greatest obsession was launched - A patch that did not denote a regional club, but a nationwide one - the iconic Compass Badge of Stoney. The Stone Island patch served a far greater purpose than simple aesthetics; it became a symbol for football hooligans across the country. Normal fans would know to stay away, and opposition fans would know who to target. A club without colors, if you will. 

Now, I could venture even further down the rabbit hole of soccer subculture, however, I do not feel it is necessary. Instead, I’d like to inform you of my personal experience with the brand, and how it acts as a microcosm of the brand as a whole.

Wearing Stone Island in a foreign country is an interesting experience. For starters, it’s nice to be able to wear the brand without the shackles of British culture upon your back. I could happily dine out on local cuisine without the fear that Darren from Millwall was going to ask if I “liked hospital food” before rearranging my face. 

To start with the Italian view of the brand, it is one not too dissimilar to the UK, but with some key differences. As sartorial surveyors of the world, Italians know their shit. What often gets glossed over when Stoney gets brought up is the amount of technical prowess within the garment, which is unlike anything else in fashion at present - unique fabrics, chameleonic sweaters that change color based on the environment around you - it really is groundbreaking, and often gets ignored due to the small rectangle buttoned on to one’s shoulder, which is a crying shame. 

Paolo, a man I bumped into on the tube a while back, was a Paninaro, one of the kids who first started the Stone Island hype train in 80’s Milan. We started talking as I was wearing a dusty pink Stoney knit - hard to miss. He was full of anecdotes about the ’80s, and it was really touching. As a man into both fashion and football myself, it was captivating to hear about the origins of the intersection of the two. Every time I wear my knit I think of the kind old man who I got talking to simply because I gave up my tube seat, and my love for the brand multiplies.

I last visited the US in 2019 on a school politics trip, and it was fascinating to compare the NYC fashion scene to that of London. Kids in fresh Supreme were everywhere as per usual, with the slightly embarrassed-but-happy-for-their-son Mom traipsing along in the background, oblivious to the fact she has just been fleeced, however, one key difference was the distinct lack of Stoney on the streets. Given their high-profile collaborations with Nike and the aforementioned Supreme, I would have expected more representation. This is not a negative - it’s refreshing to see a brand so big in Europe take time to be fully appreciated across the pond, as normally it’s the other way round, particularly after the recent streetwear boom. The NYC retail space is beautiful and emphasizes the tech on show in the garments, a feature that is lost on the UK audience. Stone Island in popular culture has no doubt been given a higher profile thanks to Drake, be that for better or for worse. Either way, it’s got to be better than popularising a brand on the back of gang violence.

Stone Island has, much like one of their heat-reactive knits, become chameleonic - the brand manages to adapt to any retail environment, yet remains the same at heart - good quality materials, with fashionable cuts, that never go out of season. What’s not to like? 

The success of capsule collections such as Stone Island: Shadow Project highlight the versatility of the brand - Shadow Project took a monochromatic approach to classic silhouettes and gave them a tech wear twist - they remain some of my favorite Stoney pieces to this day, featuring the hallowed blackout patch. Stone Island remains in the liminal space between high-fashion and casual wear, and I don’t think Osti would want it any other way. No one comes close in terms of global cultural impact - they are the definition of an international brand. 

To close, I’ll leave you with a short quote from my friend Paolo. “We wore the patch with pride, a symbol of our identity. It’s nice to see the baton being passed down to new generations, but I must tell you one thing. Never unbutton that patch.”