Stone Island is a brand that I think a lot of readers overlook - I certainly did for a long time.
Yet the heritage of ‘form through function’ and reworking traditional clothing is similar to a lot of other brands we cover. You also find that a lot of people in classic menswear respect the founder, Massimo Osti and his work tremendously, particularly the attitude to innovation and product development.
We’ll return to the history at some point I think, as there are a lot of interesting points around the way Osti worked, his approach to materials, and even the marketing - he famously didn’t use models and wanted everything to be centred around the product.
Before that I thought it would be good to talk about some products, as I know it’s always the question at the back of a reader’s mind when they’re read the deeper-dive, background pieces. (OK that’s all great, but what can I buy right now?)
I’ve actually wanted to cover Stone Island for a while, but was spurred to recently by the Marina collection, as I think it could particularly appeal to readers. Most don’t have the distinctive patch on the sleeve, there’s some really interesting colour, and it’s rooted in that very classic menswear pursuit, sailing.
Here are five pieces I’d highlight.
£915
We’re used to seeing down jackets in interesting colours from the likes of Rocky Mountain Featherbed or Nigel Cabourn, so the bright blue isn’t that unusual - even though it’s not necessarily what readers would expect from Stone Island.
But what you get on top of that from a brand like this is modern styling and more unusual design. The neckline on this Stone Island jacket, for example, is a nice single line of canvas tape that runs seamlessly into the hood - it rolls open pleasingly and makes the piece feel more like sportswear, which is of course it is. The more obvious design addition is the quick-release buckle on the waist, but that’s also very functional.
Stone Island uses a lot of natural materials, and often where you’d expect nylon from someone else, you’ll find a cotton mix (which is of course the traditional fabric for down jackets like this). That’s the outer material is here and it feels great.
£980
This is a nice example of fabric innovation. The outer material is a felted mix of 75% wool and 25% polyester, and it has a perforated membrane of the kind used in sportswear to separate wet materials and aid breathability. But unlike most sports pieces, it’s mostly wool on the outside which gives it a natural feel.
The more unusual design aspect is a rubberised collar that feels like it’s come from scuba gear. This isn’t just a gimmick though - it’s comfortable to wear and practical for against wind and water. There’s a version with a hood in the same material too, but I like this option.
The colours are really nice by the way - dark, rich brown with an ultramarine accent in the branding, then a navy option with that same ultramarine. Quite a lot of the higher-end pieces from Stone Island are in menswear colours like this - the Ghost line, for instance, is a lot of dark brown, navy and khaki, unlike the black and more synthetic colours you usually get from sportswear brands.
£360
You know that kind of loose, comfy sweater you see sold by sailing and skiing brands? A cheap one from Fat Face is very weekend Dad wear. Well this is that, but higher end.
The brushed, organic cotton is a perfect mix of the substantial and super-soft. The fit is a little long, a little slouchy. Like quite a few Stone Island pieces, the zip is plastic but that’s deliberate, it’s still high quality and it goes with the sporty aesthetic. You wouldn’t want metal here.
I know there are readers who won’t want any branding or logo on the outside, but it does feel more fitting with sportswear. Like the logoed sweats Rubato did a while back.
£670
Stone Island is best known for outerwear and knitwear, and those are certainly the most interesting categories.
Outerwear gets more attention, but the quality and the attention to detail on the knitwear is really high. Even regular crewnecks will have subtle stitch variations or wider fashioning that add a little design touch - and this jumper is subtly unusual.
It’s 100% cotton but using a chenille yarn, which gives it the appearance of a heritage knit but with a lots of texture and a smooth touch. I’ve been looking for mock-neck cream knits like this for a while, but Purple Label ones often have synthetic yarn in them these days, disappointingly, and brands like Loro Piana have hugely increased in price. This is, perhaps unexpectedly, a very cool option.
Another example of this knit of knitwear is in the Raw Beauty collection. Rather more expensive, but lovely natural variation in the cotton and nice, slightly raw seams. It was launched a year or so ago and uses mostly recycled yarns from the factory.
£875
This is a nice piece to compare to more classic menswear brands. Lots of Italians, such as Aspesi, do a weekend field jacket and might have both a synthetic and a cotton option. But this version from Stone Island is nicer, more unusual, and not dissimilar in price.
The material is an organic cotton, but the jacket is garment dyed which is what gives it that soft, washed appearance. Stone Island were always known for their garment dyeing, and it’s still something that sets them apart. For a sportswear brand it often gives them a more vintage aesthetic, which sits nicely alongside the quality and natural-fibre points.
Stone Island are of course now owned by Moncler, and the other major Osti brand, CP Company, is the one still connected to the family. But Stone Island is a higher level generally and more interesting for the PS reader I think. The comparison with Moncler also shows how a brand like that would be too fashion-driven for me; Stone Island is a good point in between the two.
When we visited the London store we tried on absolutely everything, and it was a genuinely exciting experience - a feeling I haven’t had in a while, to be honest. There’s something exhilarating about discovering great product at a brand you don’t know that well, and which has a sufficiently different aesthetic to feel you’re looking at all everything slightly differently.
The images above and below here, and the ones at the top of the article, are of other pieces from the Marina collection. I could have written about most of them - the one above shows how that neckline works on that gilet and on the blue down jacket.
Hmm.
your analysis is fascinating, but the long standing fondness of the less desirable elements among football supporters for StoneIsland sadly makes it a no go for me.
There are still some pubs that won’t serve folks wearing it.
Yes I know what you mean, it’s a real shame. Though interestingly I know friends in menswear who wear it without issues. Also I find it’s very associated with the badge – just branding or text seems to not get the same reaction at all
This.
Any of the jackets featured here are usually worn with a Burberry baseball cap and a thousand yard stare.
Most famously seem on screen in Football Factory.
These do look really nice. But in the UK at least, it is so difficult to avoid the football hooligan connotations. That’s terribly unfair for the brand, who have little control over that. Maybe it’s not quite the same elsewhere.
True, it would be interesting to hear from other readers around the world on that
Sasdly, this is a reality, but only in the UK. In the garment industry, Stone Island is HIGHLY respected for their technical innovations and fabric development. They basically invented garment dyeing.
Indeed. It’s incredible how often it comes up in manufacturing discussions
Well actually the method was invented in the 70’s by Massimo Osti at CP Company. Later when Massimo started SI it transferred across to the new label.
Both labels were associated with the in crowd mainly in Milan. Football fans in Milan and other parts of Italy with money wore CP Company and Stone Island respectively. It has never been cheap even then in the 80’s.
In Sweden, it doesn’t have the same football association, but it has a pretty strong connection to teenagers with lots of money (or those who pretend to have it). In a sense, it holds a place similar to Polo RL in the US in the 80s – popular both with preps and certain elements of street gang culture.
In Sweden, too, it used to be that the only people wearing SI were football casuals and you could easily be confronted by someone if walking around with a patch on your arm. It still is one of the stronger symbols for hooliganism, but as you say, other groups have helped dilute that association.
I am Italian and know the brand since it was founded. Here it is still a top notch brand, sold only in top notch shops, very few ones btw. No hooligans association at all.
They had control but Four Marketing (their distributors) didn’t care. They made a fortune from its distribution and association to the football world (that’s partly why Sports Direct bought a major share hold of Four Marketing).
They now taken back control in house and are trying to clean the distribution up but its going to be very hard for them.
The only ‘clean’ market for them is Italy really.
In Italy , which is after all Stone Islands’ home market , there is no association with football hooligans , albeit that SI (like Cp Company) has capsule collections tied to football teams , Man City and Bologna and Crystal Palace .
Stone Island is considered expensive by Italians, who blame the Montcler “connection” for prices going up steadily in the last few years ….CP Company are considered the affordable version of SI, with Massimo Osti’s son still involved , as is the English designer who worked for many years directly with Massimo Osti. Within the CP Company range , the Metropolis Collection leans towards the Ghost collection of Stone.
Magnetic by Tony Rivers and James Burnett gives the history of how Osti’s labels grew to prominence in the UK, well worth the read:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3UuXr9N4I8/?igsh=dzk1aTNmM2FreDRu
Nice, thank you Dejan
Nice article – i’ve always found Stone Island stuff to be quite well designed.
But…. i’m a bit surprised the whole article doesn’t mention the hooligan associations? for me, with a northern accent, i could never wear Stone Island in polite society – i’d also be wary of wearing it casually, given it signals associations with a group that is a bit fighty.
This is something it would be great to discuss with the brand – as the clear logos does make it feel like they lean into the association, and a market is a market after all.
Thanks Paul – yes that would be a hard area to get into in full, but it is mentioned above in the comments and I knew it would come up here.
I think it’s one reason the brand does things like the Stealth line with the badge dark and tonal, or the Marina line now without the badge at all.
You must also consider that Stone Island sells all over the world…and to tie it’s image to one violent subculture in a secondary market like UK , I think is rather unfair .
In Italy , after years in the wilderness, Stone began to make a comeback a few years ago,worn by style-savvy men who first found fashion as teenagers in the Panninari- 1980’s ….worn with irony by men who were now in their 50s .
The aesthetic , Massimo Osti’s insistence in combining clothing with technology and architecture , has always been appealing for a design-conscious country like Italy….it0s more likely that an Italian would associate Stone e CP with furniture and fabrics design than with football hooligans to be honest .
Interesting, thanks Marco
If anything it starts conversations as it happened to me in Spain. In the UK I never noticed anything negative about it wherever I have been. Then I don’t dress up like a football person. It’s just CP Company or SI overshirts with smart trousers and shoes for me, maybe it softens the look.
Never wore Stone Island and don’t like the labelling… same way a lot of these kind of companies such as CP Company.
Interesting read Simon. Sadly I dislike the branding on Stone Island to much for me to consider it. In the Netherlands the brand also has bad connotations with hard core hooligan fans (similar to Burberry) and it’s also worn in certain upper circles as a status item here. Mostly always worn to tight or by people who buy the latest expensive trend they can affird (The Netherlands has no real tailoring/fashion culture in most of the the country)
Interesting, thanks Edwin
Not sure that the brand has hooligan associations in Austria. But the branding is just very obvious and in-your-face. The products are overpriced and the design the exact opposite what I thought PS stands for. So I am very surprised by this article.
Hey Markus – the branding is a lot less on the Marina and Stealth pieces, and in fact similar to what you’d get on any sportswear (compare with Nike, or with Arcteryx etc).
The philosophy is also very similar to what PS covers, in terms of the use of natural materials, of being product-led (unlike most brands today), of being driven by function, of reworking historic pieces from sport and military clothing. The history of the brand also has a lot to admire in its philosophy.
You might not wear any sportswear and it might not be relevant to you, but I think it’s worth being quite open-minded given this number of things in common.
Hope you don’t mind the push back, Simon, but do you feel comparing to Nike is relevant or justified? I’d be surprised if readers of this site wear Nike anywhere other than the gym, but happy to be corrected. Furthermore, the price points are so wildly different and the product pitched at completely different audiences that it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Appreciate your points about Stone Island’s philosophy – I don’t particularly pay attention to Stone Island as a brand, but don’t feel that philosophy is communicated by the brand. I walk past their store in Soho regularly and it is very much set up like any high-end, sportswear-focused boutique – lots of black and edgy lighting.
Not at all Alex, love this discussion!
The comparison with Nike is relevant only in regards to logos. Most of Stone Island should be considered sportswear or activewear, and logos make a lot more sense in that context. I can imagine a lot of readers wouldn’t wear Nike outside the gym, but they may also wear outdoors clothing etc that usually has logos as well. It’s interesting that even when brands we more normally cover, like Warehouse or Rubato, do sportswear it often has a logo.
On the shop and how it looks – in large part that’s my point here: the brand will be offputting to readers in many ways, most obviously the branding and things like the merchandising. But there’s more going on behind the scenes than you’d think, in the product itself. It might well still not be for you, but it’s interesting to know what’s actually there.
Hi Simon,
Just as the rest of the crowd, I am a bit surprised by skipping the history and cultural significance of the brand. Although it has been covered many times by other people and you usually focus on what hasn’t been said before.
Regarding the branding, I am a bit hesitant to wear SI because of the patch and looking like a ’dresser’. But it is interesting because I think that most of their clothes have a specific identity in terms of design and fabric, which would make it easily recognized as SI without even having the patch.
Thanks RKM. As mentioned at the start, that will be covered in a separate piece. And if I wrote about the history first, it would just be the other way round – everyone would be asking what the brand was like today!
How can the branding be a lot less in Marina pieces when, for example, a coat you have featured has STONE ISLAND MARINA in big letters on the back?
Because most of it doesn’t have that, and because the branding most people care about is the badge, which none of this collection has
Hi Markus.
Big Stone Island store in Kitzbuhel, nestled amongst Moncler, Louis Vuitton, Brunello Cucinelli etc.
Still a few local shops clinging on Hederer, Prader and so on.
Frauenschuh interesting for technical sportswear, locally made but quite fashion forward,and nicely curated Italian Knitwear etc
I find the rediscovery element interesting. I have seen “several menswear folk” on IG starting to wear a lot of Stone Island of late so it is no doubt having a moment in the sun. The clothes from OSTI associated labels have always been made to the highest standards and now doubt that appeals along with some of the sartorial aspects the article highlights. Sadly outside of the bubble of London streets you are inevitably treading a fine line between enthusiast and casual.
Would be interesting to hear the thoughts of someone like Tony Sylvester on this due to his extensive interest in fashion links to sub cultures.
Funny you should say that Jon, it’s already in discussion…
I can recommend this coat. It is sage green and has a nice shimmer to it.
I live in Australia where one can wear Stone Island and CP company without any football hooligan associations. I have a smallish collection of older pieces and have always admired Osti for his creative and rather nerdy approach but it always struck me as odd that given he was drawing from his big archive of military gear how ill adapted the parkas are for rain. The stuff from Ten C (which I think was founded by 2 ex Stone Island designers but now seems to be owned by CP company and Stone Island) is much better for foul weather and is in my experience really well made .
Good comparison, thanks Colin.
Those companies are actually all separate. FGF Industry owns Ten C, Stone Island is owned by Moncler, and CP Company is owned by Tristate
Given its strong associations with football hooligans, it would be interesting to know why Stone Island didn’t drop the visible logos to stop the brand being associated in this way, if it was the design of the clothes that was important.
You’ll remember Burberry & Aquascutum being associated with hooliganism at one point would they have ever dreamt of changing their inimitable check, ofcourse not…
This is not correct JS. Due to counterfeiting and the awful associations Burberry had (like Stone Island, wearing its check was also banned in some pubs in the 2000s) Creative Director Christopher Bailey Burberry removed the check from all but 5-10% of its products, and with these it only appeared on subtle areas like the lining. Burberry moved its focus to heritage rather than focussing on the check.
Stone Island could have removed those sleeve patches and huge logos if they had wanted to distance themselves from hooligan culture and thuggery in the UK.
If you had ever walked through London Bridge on a day that Millwall were playing, you wouldn’t forget those associations.
Paul & Shark was another such brand I recall.
If Simon does not mind me sharing a link to another website, here is an interesting article about football casual clothing.
https://www.footballcasuals.net/en/
Thank you Alex, of course.
The Burberry check seems more prominent today though?
Hello Simon. True. According to Chat, Gen Z don’t have the same connotations so it’s less of an issue, plus it’s use is core to the brand in new markets such as Asia.
I do think it is an interesting brand that has a a lot of breadth being able to have something for everyone ranging from tech wear enthusiasts to street wear to “average joe” to even sartorially inclined. In that aspect it’s quite unique. I don’t even find the hooligan associations to be that big of a problem, meaning the way that you combine the items and carry yourself can be enough of a differentiator.
The strong branding and logos are an issue for me though. This is surely subjective but I get a certain sense of elitism from the branding and parts of the client base, not too dissimilar to Rolex. Also like Rolex the branding seems to be integral to the clothes, it’s not something tacked on but part of the identity of the brand.
Far easier to pull of in the US or Europe, in the UK there’s always going to be the coke-dealer connotations – a shame given the real quality of design on display.
It is a real shame that there’s such cultural baggage with the brand as they do make some really interesting designs and fabrics. I think that the posts from JoJo’s Rag Parade do a great job of highlighting some of the innovative and technical elements.
The other issue I have is that the sheer number of people walking around my area ostensibly wearing £500 jackets suggests that there is a rife trade in fakes. Maybe that’s me being unduly snobbish/plain wrong but once a brand reaches the point where authenticity becomes ambiguous then I think it has a problem and can very quickly devalue the brand.
JoJo’s posts are always fascinating; as for many on here, the Get the Badge In connotations of Stone Island mean I’d be unlikely to buy it for myself, but it’s a far more interesting brand than the hooligan reputation might suggest. Simon, I think a deep dive into Osti and his Innovations would be a great weekend workwear post for the site.
Thanks Jakob.
Another reason why I find this site so valuable. Like other commenters I also associated with 1990s terraces. At University we had friends who worked at the Land Rover factory so had what seemed like loads of cash at the time. Whenever they visited it was head to toe Stone Island. I was jealous then but probably prejudiced about the brand since. This article opened my eyes as I do like some of the pieces, although the pricing seems a bit toppy (I know that is a whole separate issue).
Nice to hear Michael.
Yes the prices certainly are high. Perhaps not as stratospheric as some designer brands these days (which also often have less going on that’s unique or innovative) but it’s not cheap.
Wearing a huge MARINA STONE ISLAND lettering on the back of my jacket would make me feel like a walking advertising billboard. ♥️ Jürgen from Berlin
Hi Simon,
A very interesting , enlightening and slightly surprising (in a good way) article. I see some readers have mentioned associations and as with many other brands over the years of my life they tend to wane over time.
It’s testament to your journalistic integrity and open mind that you have looked past these perceived negatives. As for the brand, the only items I have purchased have been jeans which I have been extremely pleased with; both quality and fit. I know people (from many walks of life including my dentist) who have various items and I have to say they also look good, the products really do speak for themselves.
Also useful they have brick and mortar presence.
More of this type article would be great and I also look forward to one on the Stone Island brand history.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers Stephen, and nice to hear
Hi Simon, Just another thought. Perhaps you would consider doing something on Filson (I know you have covered the bags) for your weekend workwear PS readers.
Thanks again
Thanks Stephen, yes good idea
Filson backpack or rucksack leather straps abrase and destroy sport jacket tweed or cloth.
I don’t remember having seen the “Stone Island” labeled clothes anywhere between Bern to Freiburg i. Br. The objection by the contributor from Berlin is welcome. To associate a clothes brand
with a particular group requires experience, so identification of hooligans in “Stone Island” needs to be where they frequent.
Prof D. Hayamoto on You Tube just recently in interview by a lady with British accent recommended contemporary gangsters of certain ethnicity in USA follow suit of other older gangsters of other ethnicity in USA successfully changing their image by wearing Savile Row bespoke.
Correction: Hamamoto
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ02nVE_nXw
The fact that everything has the brand name on it means I would never take it seriously.
I love how this is dividing readers. These debates really bring out the different factors, and why people feel certain ways.
On names/logos, I get it on some things, but less so when its considered sportswear, hiking technical gear and so on. That nearly always has a logo on, and often has historically as well.
I am not sure, Simon, that this counts as an argument for Stone Island.
You are, of course, right that sportswear (and I mean clothes that I wear for sport) nearly always has a logo on them. My skiing jackets are stamped with Ortovox or Schöffel, my mountainbike stuff with Fox Racing or POC.
But Stone-Island is not sports wear in that sense. You would not wear it for sports but on the street.
But I think that’s where you’re wrong Markus. The Stellina line is high-end performance gear, but better designed often than North Face, Arcteryx etc. And everything is highly technical and performance led, so if someone did want a Gore-Tex piece in the city, this is a good place to look.
Then there’s sportswear worn as everyday wear, but that’s not something most PS readers will be doing
Do you know where Stone-Island clothes are made Simon? I tend to agree with your points above – I was flabbergasted people spend so much on Arcteryx which is made in China, and I see is increasingly worn by the London commuting classes.
Some in Italy, some in the Far East. But beware dismissing technical things in particular made in China – often the quality is very good. Not always, but they have some very good factories for sportswear in particular.
The knitwear is usually made in Italy and they actually just expanded a knitwear factory there.
Thanks Simon. Actually, for me, the issue concerning Chinese production of Arcteryx is broader than just quality. I try to avoid buying literally anything from autocratic nations. I appreciate this may come across as pious and isn’t everybody’s approach but me, it’s a strict ‘no’ when very similar products can be sourced from democratic countries instead.
OK, understood James. That’s obviously a whole other difficult topic on its own. I do know one or two Russian craftsmen, and when you know someone personally it makes it much harder
Dear Mr Fettiplace
Aren’t you confusing the sphere of jurisprudence with the other of economics?
Or do you mean to legality in factory manufacture i.e. employee rights?
Dear Simon
Have you visited the Chinese factories whose manufacture of technical things you praise as good quality to determine if other aspects of these factories you would also judge very good?
No, but I have friends who have – particularly around sportswear
I was entrusted as tour guide with Chinese bankers who finance cashmere production and its director by a Swiss businesman specialized in import who told me Italian machines are bought by Chinese for their knitwear manufacture in China.
Hi, Me again! I agree it’s a great debate. In my opinion it matters very little either way and doesn’t feel emotive for me at least. You either buy or you don’t. Sometimes it can appear there is possibly an underlying elitism in both wearers of outwardly branded products and the inverse with those who don’t.
I’m a big fan of stone island and have been for over 20 years. I just think that they make amazing coats with really innovative quasi military designs and fabrics.
I dont worry about the football connotations.
Taking aside the connotations with hooliganism, I struggle with the prominent branding that features on so many of those pieces. The Marina pieces would be infinitely more appealing without it. Interesting you mention they are now owned by Moncler – I hate to bring up the pricing discussion, but I’m always skeptical of the sums charged by brand-heavy menswear companies such as Stone Island and Moncler, and find their ubiquity fairly off-putting.
It’s worth talking about Alex, and I commented on it briefly above. I think Stone Island comes off quite well compared to Moncler, it’s a useful comparison, as that seems more expensive and more fashion
As a native UK resident that’s been involved with the clothing industry 30 years Stone Island is one brand I’ve always had a begrudging respect for. I even had the honour of going to view Massimo Osti’s personal archive after his death as the family were selling it off (the brand i worked for at the time declined the valuation – but it was a hell of an experience). The innovation in fabrics, its nod to the military aesthetic are quite frankly phenomenal and their importance in the the place of the industry should never be questioned. But I’ve never owned a single piece of the brand purely because of how Four Marketing and the football terraces destroyed its image. (I was once severely tempted by a beautiful hand painted camo jkt but didn’t purchase – maybe on of my biggest clothing regrets )
I remember the head buyer of Limeys (a great and long gone retailer from the midlands) telling me how they had active and notorious hooligans bring back their Stone Island clothing each season with ‘rips’ (knife cuts) and the store being obliged to exchange for fears of reprisals. When you go that far into ‘culture’ you cant often escape.
Fascinating. Thanks Bob
You praise Stone Island for their technical approach to fashion. Yes, the brand demonstrates innovation in fabrics and treatments. Yet, to my eye, the design philosophy feels directionless and overstated. Oversized logos, exaggerated silhouettes, and loud surfaces dominate, while clean lines and quiet sophistication take a back seat. The result is a visual language that prioritizes spectacle over subtlety. The cultural associations, which have been noted by readers, also influence how the brand is negatively perceived. If you’re looking for functional, well-made clothing that doesn’t have all the downfall of Stone Islands, other brands do this better. Acronym, Veilance, and Ten C offer technical apparel with precision, subtlety, and thoughtful detailing. Lemaire, The Row, and Margaret Howell provide timeless craftsmanship and understated luxury without reliance on bold logos or visual excess. Across heritage and contemporary reinterpretation, Norse Projects and Engineered Garments demonstrate that style, substance, and restraint can coexist. In this context, I personally see no reason to consider this brand.
Thanks Kamikar. If we take the logo element aside for a second, the designs at Stone Island are actually cleaner and less exaggerated most of the time than the likes of Lemaire – I tried a Lemaire hoodie recently, much more exagerrated shape that a Stone Island, a larger proportion for synthetic for no reason, and a very design-led hood shape. It was a great piece, but Stone Island is conservative and uses better fabrics than most design brands like that, and is much better value than the Row.
The comparison with the outerwear brands is a separate but interesting one. One of the things that really shines compared to Veilance and so on is the colour range, which is much more menswear with Stone Island, and not all black or bright colours as most of those climbing etc brands do.
It’s interesting actually, each of these comparisons brings out something different. Margaret Howell is great, but if anything also more exagerrated in its proportions often. Norse and EG are great, but not the same quality level. Ten C is the best overall comparison I think, for obvious reasons
Thanks, Simon. Even ignoring the logo isn’t really possible – it’s a core reason for my stance. Other brands which I have mentioned may exaggerate shapes more, but that doesn’t change that Stone Island itself relies on loud surfaces and oversized silhouettes. I simply don’t see the added value it contributes to the menswear landscape. Its fabrics and colour range may be strong points, but they aren’t enough to outweigh the spectacle over subtlety.
I understand Kamikar. I don’t think you should ignore the logo, just that they are separate points.
I still disagree that Stone Island relies on loud surfaces or oversized silhouettes though. Most silhouettes are straight and clean, and in fact if anything they have suffered in the past from being too far in the other direction – they have only just started moving away from narrow trousers into slightly wider legs for example, and even those are straight and classic, not oversized.
The surfaces usually aren’t loud either – they’re much more likely to be something like the garment-dyed field jacket that’s shown above. Take off the logo (which I know rules it out for you, but won’t for everyone) and it’s a subtle, actually quite faded colour and surface.
Thank you, Simon. I appreciate your responses.
No problem, I really appreciate the discussion as well
Thanks Simon for covering a less obvious brand, and one that’s a bit contentious. Good to push the envelope and our collective comfort zone.
I like the cream cotton jumper. If I were to buy it I’d simply remove the branding on the sleeve. Easy. Field jacket also appeals.
Indeed.
The middle of the envelope is boring anyway – there’s a better view from the edge
The logo thing is interesting. I’m in the “it puts me off” camp, and I don’t really get the argument that sportswear usually logos and always has, so it’s appropriate – that’s a big part of why I don’t usually like sportswear, and there’s a gap in the market for nicely designed sportswear made with natural materials and zero visible branding.
I want to wear nice clothes because I love the cloth and the craft, enjoy the thought that goes into putting them together in a thoughtful way, and the way that they age gracefully. I’d rather people didn’t know how expensive they were – it would be embarrassing and more likely to provoke envy or pity than respect.
Prominent logos on expensive clothes mean that everyone knows how much you spent on them – so there’s inevitably the assumption that it’s a purchase to display status, or (like with the football hooligans) a purchase so painfully expensive, it displays commitment to belonging to a tribe, or finally – that one of the above was the actual aim, but it’s probably a fake worn by a cheap tryhard.
There have been a few sports brands that have done that over the years, or at least with very subtle branding. Iffley Road for running for example.
I can completely understand why people would prefer not to have logos, but I also personally appreciate the heritage of sportswear and love the design history – such that a coach jacket, for example, with a brand logo on it which reimagines heritage ones from the 50s, perhaps an Ivy League one, can be beautiful and a really interesting area of design.
The last point is more psychological I guess. It’s probably not possible, but as much as I can I try to push against those associations, so they don’t stop me wearing what I like. Someone once commented that wearing a Ralph Lauren cap with a pony on it made it look cheap, but the brand is special to me – in my view it’s the greatest menswear brand that has ever existed – so I don’t care.
I find the point about beautiful and interesting logo designs more persuasive. (As an aside, logo related, the Netflix series ‘Abstract’ episode on Paula Scher I found fascinating).
Interestingly enough, I’m kind of with you on the Ralph cap – I’ve got one myself. Really the thing I dislike is when the logo is more or less a shouty proxy for a big price tag – Ralph Lauren isn’t cheap, (I suspect whoever called you cheap was really trying to tell you how fabulously well they were doing) but it’s definitely accessible and sometimes very nice.
Stone island isn’t like that. Even if the associations with thuggish football fans wasn’t there, the logo is several times bigger than your average Ralph Lauren pony, not a particularly nice design, and usually quite oddly placed on the sleeve and tacked on so that it looks like it ought to be on the inside of the garment.
I find Rapha branding for cycling clothing mostly quite subtle, although it fails completely on the psychological point – everyone (cyclists anyway) knows that it’s fairly expensive and recognises it immediately. But then I wear it to ride a vintage steel Colnago, covered in logos and with a beautiful ‘art decor’ paint job, so a) nobody’s paying attention to my clothes and b) I’m a complete hypocrite, although in my defence, it’s a far cheaper bike than the s-works aero carbon things that club riders are on these days – I ride it and appreciate the history in the technology, the racing heritage and beautiful design….
I think I might’ve just argued myself entirely round to your point of view Simon – but I probably won’t be buying anything from Stone Island anytime soon
Ha! Yeah love it when that happens.
All good points, and it’s interesting how the Rapha thing changed over time for example.
Another thing about logos is obviously the military insignia side. That can have issues as well, but I know the SI logo came from maritime inspiration, and I wouldn’t be surprised if having a patch there did too. Someone can probably tell us.
It’s funny how, if someone like Real McCoys did something with a patch on the arm because it was an old navy thing, suddenly some people would look at it a little differently.
To add another thought to the discussion. I find logos that have some history much more bearable. The Crocodile of Lacoste is a good example. This is what AI has to say.
The Lacoste logo’s story is rooted in a 1923 bet between tennis champion René Lacoste and his captain for a crocodile-skin suitcase, which resulted in the nickname “the Crocodile” from the American press due to his tenacity on the court. This nickname was then turned into a logo by artist Robert George in 1927, which Lacoste had embroidered on his blazers. The logo became a visible part of the brand when it was officially launched in 1933, making Lacoste one of the first brands to place a visible logo on its clothing.
Even better when a brand manages to distinguish itself by a subtle pattern like Burberry or Private White (copper buttons), or probably best by an innovative and discernible product that nobody else produces(d).
I cant speak for Italy, but certainly in the UK – unfortunately fakes are rampant on the terraces. The people who are most responsible for creating an association between Stone Island and hooliganism are rarely wearing the real thing (anymore). Certainly not making any regional, economic or class assumptions here but most people going to Doncaster on a Saturday at 3pm aren’t spending £875 on a field jacket. So, those of you who don’t wear the brand you otherwise would can thank people who don’t even get to enjoy the real thing, for ruining it for you. Also see: ‘Burberry’, who lost pretty much all of its social capital in the early 2000s because those who were labelled ‘chavs’ wore the fakes. Fwiw, this is despite Burberry making one of the most iconic and beautiful trench coats in menswear. So, it can happen to anyone. Its also clear that the ‘i wouldnt wear that’ attitude is directly related to sub-culture association and not driven by ubiquitous faking because one of the most faked brands out there is RL, and they’ve retained their social captial because its still worn by anyone attempting to be aspirationally ‘ivy’ or yuppie – even amongst the scumbags of the world.
Moral of the story: Brands beware who you want wearing your clothes, and when you want them worn.
With all that being said, I for one like SI associations, they are somewhat helpful. Lets people on the terraces know who’s up for it and who isnt. Wearing this seasons football shirt = doesnt want any. Wearing a Stoney and Diadora Tokyo’s = up for a scrap.
You have seen the light last. The light that Lucas and I see!
It is somewhat ironic that it is so associated with football hooligans, and indeed it is still worn very heavily on the terraces/seats today.
I have never actually worn a football kit shirt to football, as I grew up through the football casual days and it was a matter of self preservation. So we all adopted designer brands like Stone Island instead as a sort of uniform.
But in Italy it is always remained relatively cool hasn’t it? And if it’s good enough enough Tony Sylvester is good enough for me. In fact, I saw Don Johnson in a recent ad campaign in the window of the Soho store, so if it is good enough for Sonny Crockett it is definitely good enough for me…
Both glad and surprised that you have covered Stone Island Simon, but I think it illustrates how Permanent Style has evolved. Growing up in the 80s/90s in north London, Stone Island and other brands were always visible in the pubs, clubs and on the terraces. Interesting that brands such as La Coste were also favoured by ‘Casuals’ but it seemed to have avoided the ‘Hooligan’ badge, perhaps because of it’s slightly ‘upper class’ and tennis heritage, whereas Stone Island perhaps didn’t have that heritage, in the UK at least? It’s always been regarded as well made clothing with pieces selling for significant sums both new and second hand. Glad to see they are branching out
Having spent some time travelling to major Italian cities Rome, Florence Milan & Turin for work a few years ago I was really suprised to see what we here would consider stylish, handsome late 30s to mid 50 year old men wearing Stone Island knit and outerwear with tailoring or casually with smart jeans and it looked great. It’s really just here in England in the 2000s that SI became synonymous with that lifestyle before which if you remember it was Burberry & Aquascutum and before that it was Fila, Sergio Tachini, Lyle & Scott, Pringle of Scotland ellesse etc and its recently reverted to Adidas Originals, Lacoste, Fila and a fairly new brand called Ma.Strum which was actually created in partnership with MO of SI and I’m sure none of us would feel a way about wearing any of those brands. I would like to add I’m not personally involved in hooliganism myself but I have some acquaintances that are what some of them have started doing is buying the ghost and shadow project clothing with the badge that is a bit more discreet or just taking the badge off all together.
I really like this SI Marina stuff it’s not as in your face, much more discreet. I’ll be waiting for the sale as it’s crazy expensive as always but yeah I’ll definitely be buying abd wearing some of it.
Good article and can understand why you chose not to raise brand association as it seems separate in way, but cultural identity underpins what we like about clothes, individually. To not mention it at all seems a misstep.
Wouldn’t propose to tell you the purpose of your own website but i see PS as a tool for education, as much as a platform for brand reviews and style recommendations. You should be clear with readers about what wearing an item can signal.
Yes, wear what you want. But accept the cultural baggage and decide if you want to wear it anyway (be it in spite of or because of those associations). But recognize it, don’t pretend like its not there. I wore heavy metal clothing in my youth specifically because it was counter-culture, whether I actually thought what I wore looked ‘good’ was almost irrelevant. I don’t think that makes me an imposter, its using clothing to communicate quickly, to many people, implicitly.
Its a shame people wont wear SI because of its heritage, your article correctly identifies great craftmanship. But, its understandable.
Thanks John, pleased that comes across. And yes I can see the point about associations – I did know it was going to come up a lot in the comments!
Whilst I don’t doubt they are well made, the conontations of the brand (doubly more so with sleeve badge) are so ugly that it is an automatic hard pass for me, and I inevitably have predetermined (and no doubt unfair) perceptions of anyone wearing it. File alongside Tesla with Elon’s public persona and brand damage.
I like the above pink fleece, it is a shame Stone Island see the need to visbily brand it.
I can see that the gilet and the field jacket, to take two examples, are well-designed, but I have such a visceral dislike for the patch (and the branding on that last red jacket) that I don’t think I could consider them. Just one reaction.
Agreed.
Well done for writing about this interesting brand without alluding to to the obvious and boring hooligan associations. When I saw the title of the post I hoped that would be the case and you didn’t let me down.
Nice to hear Alex, thanks
What an interesting article, Simon, and a really insightful conversation in the comments section. I know it’s a bit off-brand for the scope of this website, but would you consider penning an article about how brands get co-opted into subcultures for better or worse? As an American I knew nothing of the association with hooliganism,. Equally my British friends would likely be shocked how a Fred Perry polo in black and yellow signify something really terrible here. W. David Marx also covers this phenomenon in his book, Status and Culture, to a small degree.
Yes that’s a good point, that would be a very interesting piece
Lots of Stone Island counterfeit items on the secondary market in the US. It pays to be extra careful when not buying directly from SI or reputable stores.
I really enjoyed the article. I’ve got a few pieces myself that fit well into my wardrobe. It’s great to hear the brand being taken more seriously in sartorial circles.
The polarised reactions are fascinating; I can’t help thinking that many who dismiss Stone Island because they associate it with violence overlook the irony of happily wearing vintage military gear.
If it was good enough for Alain Delon, it’s good enough for me.
Nice point on the military Liam
Simon, I’ve noticed a real evolution in what excites you in recent times and I’m curious as to whether this is because you’re not currently finding much new in classic style/formal tailoring to get inspired by? If that’s the case, I get it – I have a passion for all kinds of music and go through phases where I find I have listened to a genre too much or want to binge a particular artist or style for a prolonged period.
I had pieces from both Stone Island and CP Company in the late 1990s and early noughties. I was aware of the football casual association, but I always valued the quality and design/innovation values of the brand more than any negative connotations.
As I got older, however, I wanted to be more understated and eliminated anything with branding from my wardrobe – some Lacoste polo shirts being the only real exception. I therefore do not find the featured clothing very appealing and if I am being honest it feels a little strange seeing the brand and its prominent logos featured on Permanent Style.
Permanent Style is, of course, not a website solely for me and my interests, so please do not take that as a criticism and thank you for constantly striving to keep things fresh and bring new things to the audience.
Thanks Paul, and that’s very valuable feedback.
I think it’s inevitable that something new will excite you – but for me that’s as much in Tonne Goodman’s style as it is in the unexpected quality in Stone Island.
The core of PS remains the same because I don’t dress differently,.other than the slight change to more casual versions of tailoring and related clothing that have happened in the past decade.
What often surprises me is how people want one simple, narrow message all the time, and find it hard to accept that these clothes might be genuinely interesting – even if you only ever consider them for one Gore-Tex parka.
I think social media is seen as every post being a statement of identity – whereas I’ve always been more interested in places which feel more like magazines, still with a clear identity but always searching for the interesting and the next
Thank you for the thoughtful and lengthy reply, Simon. I don’t know where you find the time for the correspondence! And as someone who has enjoyed a long association with printed media, I know exactly what you mean regarding magazines.
Thanks Paul
Reading all the comments here, I find it hilarious that so many can only talk about the connections to football hooliganism. I have no doubt in my mind that if a survey was ever conducted, you’d find that the vast majority of men who wear Stone Island clothing have never been involved in a fight in their life. I’m 33 and I own a Italian made jumper that I’ve had since 19 and looks as new as it did back then, a hoodie and an overshirt. Whenever I buy my next piece I know I will enjoy discovering what it is, and the story of the product as much as the product itself; that’s a luxury brand folks.
Quite an interesting article, and judging by the comments, a bit provoking. For me living in Northern Norway, the associations are not strong, but never the less, have not escaped me. I do however really like the image of the pink fleece. Reminds me of Casentino fabric, both in the structure but also being in a similar strong colour without mimicking the same orange and green that made Casentino famous.
I do like to see more sportswear content on the site. I live in Tromsø, also known as Paris of the North. That nick name harks back to the first half of the 20th century, where the women in Tromsø would wear the latest fashion from Paris. Now though it is more akin to the Gore-Tex capital of the World, not helped by the countless tourist that believes they are on some Arctic expedition while bar hopping, walking up and down the Main Street.
Sportswear has always been an inspiration for menswear, and I have been intrigued by Ivy sports wear, and been thinking of a Scandinavian equivalent, taking inspiration from the outdoors wear, polar expeditions and similar. Wear good quality, natural clothing that does not stand out in my surroundings of Arcteryx shell jackets, puffer jackets, and other mountaineering clothing. I do find these kind of articles about Sportswear quite inspiring, though this in particular may be out of my price bracket, but always good to have new inspiration!
Personally I am looking more at clothing that use natural materials while still being performance oriented. There are a few perhaps unknown Norwegian companies that make quite interesting clothes in natural materials that are very sportswear and outdoors oriented.
Back to Stone Island and the associations, there was an Substack post by Susanna Nicoletti about a year ago, following an article in The Athletic about the associations between Sone Island and Hooligans, suggesting that the company were perhaps not distancing itself enough from the associations. She also highlights all the positives such as the quality of the materials etc.
https://susannanicoletti.substack.com/p/stone-island-the-hooligans-controversy
I do understand how Simon would leave it out as by always bringing up those associations. it is very difficult to move in the direction of leaving those associations in past. If Stone Island want to move past those associations I certainly can do that as well
i always view PS as a collaboration, between Simon and his colleagues, and the readers that post their own opinions, and look forward to in equal amount to read both Simon’s and the readers opinion on every article. The readers here have not only provided many examples of the associations with Hooliganism, but also examples of where the association is not that strong, and the quality of the clothing shines through.
Not knowing much about the brand prior to this article, aside from noticing the sleeve-logo occasionally, I still don’t feel like I have quite dialled into their core stance / mission statement. What’s the big idea? Is it basically ‘high-end technical sportswear’? Feels like maybe there’s a military-influenced dimension as well?
There’s a lot to it Alec, but we’ll cover that in depth in another article
Surprised to see a very ‘mid’ label featured here – unimaginative use of logos, block colours in standard patterns, unremarkable proportion and materials – did you get paid to write this article Simon?
No, certainly not. And if you read the article and a lot of the comments, you’d realise most of the other points aren’t true either
What struck me Simon is that you enjoyed trying on the garments. That says something about the qualities of their stuff, and also about your ability to focus on the products as you find them.
Like others, I would struggle to focus on the products, given the brand’s prominence among a certain person, and their followers.
That said, it is good to read about Massimo Osti – clearly a great talent, and a very distinct vision for CP’s style and quality. In the mid 80’s I just HAD to buy a CP company jacket from Dublin’s coolest menswear shop, FX Kelly on Grafton Street.
The jacket was an army inspired bomber, in mid green canvas, generously cut. It was different in having a light tan leather collar, instead of a utility ribbed one. It was lined with a luxurious gold diamond pattern quilting. And the brass zip and stud fastenings were top quality. It felt special. It was expensive, especially for a student. But it really felt special.
So, as you say; a thoughtful ‘remix’ of a conventional and functional piece. The logo, IIRC, was the drawing of a man, and it said ‘CP Company, Ideas from Massimo Osti’. No outside logo.
Really enjoyed the article, and the spirted comments.
You’re right Kevin, and I’m pleased that comes across. It was genuinely exciting and stimulating. And I am very much a product person
Thanks for your thoughtful addition to the comments as well.
Thank you for your response. We disgaree but I do appreciate the opportunity to discuss.
The reason I ask is whether you were paid to write this is that I recall you have published content that you have been paid to write in here previously – eg I think Rubato? – without making that explicit and i was wondering if this was that or an error of judgement on your part.
As you insist that Stone Island is not an error of judgement, I must rebut, this time in more detail.
1, This band is associated with a well-known private equity entity who have repeatedly bought brands and scaled quantity up and quality down, with heavy use of logos, marketing and influencing to signal tribe status. The football hooligans clearly got the signal 🙂
2. How can PS remain relevant authority when your commendation is ‘Stone Island’, a brand you haven’t even worn when a sharp Google Gemini prompt reveals any number of sportswear brands – Nanamica, White Mountaineering, Venturon, Yamatomichi, Daiwa Pier39, Goldwin, And Wander, Ten C, Visvim, Descente AllTerrain, LeMaire, D-VEC, A. Presse etc etc etc – that are objectively rated to have better construction, more distinctive silhouettes, higher technical specifications at the same or lower price point, as assessed by end-users who have actually owned and worn the brand?
Hey,
No, I have not been paid to write here previously, that never happens. Not about Rubato or about anyone else. It’s been the same for 18 years.
The private equity ownership doesn’t make any difference until the product itself changes. I can understand the caution, but you have to rate what’s in front of you.
I know many people that have Stone Island, and I often rate brands I have only tried a few times, that’s normal.
Those other points are all answered in the article or the comments above.
Without wishing to be too forthright, if you are rude enough to publicly Simon’s integrity into question when his position on advertisement is clear, this probably is not the website for you.
Kudos you for publishing a critique of a very sensitive subject – I respect your honesty and integrity in doing so.
Regarding paid content, I stand corrected that it was Saman Amel not Rubato. You inserted a renumerated video it an unpaid article endorsing Saman Amel without making a clear distinction between the two – you did disclose it but only when asked directly in the comments if it was advertorial.
You also sell some of the articles you receive for free on Marrkt etc eg Vass Ascot.
Given the above methods, your belief that you have not been paid to write articles and that your view is unbiased is impossible for me to reconcile rationally.
As someone said elsewhere, you built PS from nothing – kudos – and it is your business to run as you like. It is also reasonable to collaborate commercially with like-minded peers.
Sadly, as I feel strongly about these things like disclosure and bias, I will exercise my choice to stop buying from any maker I see here forthwith, in favour of makers with business practices more aligned to my own.
All the best, over to you for the final reply 🙂
Thanks for the view
Hi Simon, I’m a bit late to the party on Stone Island — I’ve never bought anything from them, new or vintage. I’ve always been aware of the brand, but my knowledge doesn’t extend much beyond the slightly murky football terrace associations.
Still, for anyone who’s now tempted but a bit wary, I think the context in which you wear it matters a lot. Most likely, it’ll be mixed in with the usual weekend suspects — sweatshirts, chore jackets, a Shetland jumper or two — depending on the mood. In that setting, the Stone Island piece becomes just another layer, and not really a statement of tribal allegiance.
It’s not as if you’re suddenly turning up at the pub looking like you’ve joined a firm. Your mates know you well enough to realise that “being a bit fighty” isn’t really on the menu — unless we’re talking about wrestling with a stubborn corkscrew on a Saturday evening.
Ha!
It’s a cool brand. Although the high price and the kind of people that wear it here in Holland make me not want to buy it. It’s mostly people that want to flash a expensive brand and it’s populair withing the wrong kind of street culture. I guess just like Canada goose and Burbu
Erry. they have a marketing problem…
Simon, all considerations of menswear aside, please accept my compliments for moderating a genuine discussion on what is clearly a divisive subject. I admire your ability to bring out differing and strongly held points of view without allowing juvenile name calling to erupt and tarnish the entire debate.
Thanks Tom. It sounds weird, but it’s one of the things that makes me happiest about the site, particularly in the terrible state of public debate today
I also don’t like it… pricing, the big logo or the rather ugly font – but I see why someone could like it 🙂
Was it Coco Chanel or Diana Vreeland who used to say ‘Elegance is refusal’? No matter really, but that’s the quote I couldn’t help thinking of.
Since I started wearing (expensive Japanese) hoodies and New Balance sneakers, I don’t actually consider myself a ‘sartorialist’ anymore. But do still appreciate and root for the true sartorialists, those steadfast beacons of male elegance (reader Andrew springs to mind).
I think PS should be there for them, because so very few publications are, these days. And I feel like advocating a brand like Stone Island is a step towards abandoning them.
I generally applaud keeping an open mind, and researching a brand’s intrinsic qualities and philosophy and history in order to qualify your judgment. But sometimes you just have to look with your eyes, be honest and say ‘No’.
I find some of the criticism around the branding in the comments a little odd. Surely the genius of the arm patch thingy is that it’s easily removable, it’s entirely optional. The Marina branding isn’t of course, so I get how that is more off putting for some.
I’m not especially into Stone Island as it currently is (more so just because the brand inevitably feels a bit corporate and soulless these days) but I really appreciate Osti and his legacy. I do get how connotations with machismo are off putting for some, especially when that prat Tommy Robinson loves to flaunt the brand…but I also wonder what clothing we love doesn’t have similar “baggage”? I think it’s been discussed here before, but personally I find some of the Japanese repro brands’ fetishism of military clothing troubling at times (as much as I love those brands). Ultimately though, and similar to military clothing, I think Stone Island means many different things to many different people at this point, it’s been appropriated and reappropriated a bunch of times, and there’s nothing wrong with simply appreciating and wearing the clothes for their good design.
As a native reader of PS from the U.S, could someone explain the hooligan associations of Stone Island? Interesting enough, I’ve always viewed the brand as being more fashion forward and wasn’t familiar with the integral details of the garment design. Thanks for the article.
-Kinte
Vintage Osti throws up some absolute gems (Boneville, CP Company) on eBay, etc. but this modern incarnation is so far removed from that aesthetic to be impossible to tell they are related. As nearly everyone else has said, the modern Stone Island brand and the wearing of its logo is almost a badge of honour of low-level football violence (to be witnessed on the tubes and trains of London and streets around The Den on match day.)
Kudos for printing this even though it feels a little misplaced here – an article on Osti in the future would be good.
I just can’t get excited by this gear. Or the price.
Great to see this post because I think writing more about more modern items and aesthetics is an area of opportunity for PS. For instance, the moodboard, although nice, was a bit too nostalgic and reflective of current trends recycling 80s/90s design. Modern fabric development and use is 100% aligned with PS and Stone Island is quite good at that. Although I don’t own a single item, a combination of their fashion brand aligned use of logos and pricing, I like to check their stores and new items. As mentioned by others, CP Company and Ten C are also worth highlighting. I don’t own anything from the former (same logos issue) but they also have nice designs and prices; currently , they have a nice moonstar collab – I like the boots, but again, the logos…the latter is the one that I’ve defaulted to, no logos, good robust construction and interesting fabrics.
I’ve been a long time fan of Stone Island. I even own the book published a few years ago (Storia) and I’m looking forward getting the Archivio one as well. Like you said, they are supremely strong in knits and outerwear. I own a down parka for really chilly winter days and the attention to detail in the construction and the quality puts a Canada goose Parka to shame in my eyes. Also owning a shell summer jacket which is crazy water repellent but still looks and feels super high quality. You can get through a massive downpour by bike and not a single drop of water get’s through. They are very good at combining highest technical standards with great design and material. I’ve been “collecting” some of the best stuff from their website for some years now and there are some gems. If you want to do a follow up article I can provide you some pictures and model numbers if you like Simon.
On the point of the branding: over here in Germany no one knows about the hooligan association. The brand is mostly worn by upper class teenagers and students as well as men in their golden age pretending to be young again. Usually they don’t get the desirable items (from my pov of course) but the generic sweatshirt with the badge.
Personally I love the design and the history of the compass badge and the story that it’s on the left arm because it’s closer to the heart but I still opt for buttoning it off. To me it’s still too connected to the status symbol of wearing the brand. Sadly more so since the prices went crazy in the past years thanks to Drake loving the brand and after the Moncler overtake. Similar products they produce every season (for example a David TC Down Jacket which is military inspired [lovely models!!]) got close to 50% more expensive in the past 5 years…
As always, keep the good work coming and enjoy your sunday!
what a surprise that Stone island is taken over. But Moncler itself was bought by some private equity firm. And so it goes on . God knows who owns Creed or Hilditch and key.
is Budd still safe? Massimo Alba?
they all hike up the prices so that the loyal customers still pay as they believe in the company that existed. Are these anonymous but rich companies really interested in the customer?
how does Stone Island compare to Ten C outerwear?
See comments above on them Joners
Half the comment section is about logos. Honestly, it feels like the whole discourse about not having any is even more affected than branding. Most people who are obsessed with the idea that wearing logos is flashing status also want to flash status, but in quiet luxury kind of way.
The lack of branding is also branding. It’s a bit like all the old spiels about Ivy being all about if-you-know-you-knows like hook vents and frayed collars. You could say it’s not caring about the state of your clothes, but when the whole fashion tribe begins obsessing over it, it’s just a way to manifest status and membership in a group.
Hi Simon, I follow your ig page since years because I like quality clothing and when I buy I look of course about quality constructions and most of the time heritage or with a story behind.
To be honest I don’t get why people say I should’t (or I don’t wear) stone island, burberry’s aquascutum..because of hooligans? So same way I should not drive Toyota Land Cruiser because is the car mostly driven on desert by isis terrorists..Or a Loro piana winter coat which Putin wears often…It does make no sense to me.
Having Said that, I live in a small rich city in the north east of Italy, where we have a stone island boutique. I have also a subscription to see the football serie A ( I’m the most quiet person on hearth, do I am hooligans because I wear it? I don’t think so). Here many people to the stadium and in city on free time wears stone island, and have to say from the upper society industrialist to the lower, no matter of the price tag or who you are.
I see Stone island as a culture, their garments are top level quality and innovative, i’m usuallly no logo man, but yes I want the badge on their clothes , so why not?. It is a status symbol like Ralph Lauren, Range Rover or Rolex or PP? yes, but maybe without being seen as too fashionable brands. It also scream quality in casual wearing. Their knitwear last a life time and age beautifully, as much as their coats in their iconic fabric DAVID-TC. (attached one of mine old cargo shorts from them)
My wardrobe is busy of clothes, so of course I have things from Stone Island too, but I have also Anderson and Shepard bespoke two peaces suits. The two way of dressing for me can live nicely together in my wardrobe, if you are somebody that love clothing. Sorry i wrote too much. You were right to talk about Stone Island because they deserve it.
I like the style but not the badge (like so many others). Have you looked at Ten C (The Emperor’s New Clothes). I find the styling similar but without the badge, which appeals. I think the founders have a background at Stone Island and/or CP Company
Yes Jamie, and that’s referenced above. Their designs aren’t as unusual as these, but that will often suit more PS readers
I’m in NYC.
Never heard of the brand but it’s amusing how men can get so emotional about a subject. Relax. They are only clothes.
Coming to our magazine launch on Wednesday MLS?
What time and where? Thanks.
Buck Mason, Soho (486 Broadway), 6-9pm.
Thank you.
Years ago, I bought a CP Company parka from Liberty’s, back when the main entrance was still on Regent Street itself, which should date it. I can echo many of the points in your article about innovation in design and materials and the jacket is still in use today. That said, none of this is why I decided to post a comment today, I thought I would share a case of exemplary customer service. I accidently tore the sleeve of the jacket which was quite a technical waterproof fabric. I contacted CP Company on Brewer Street and they said that they could repair it. To avoid any obvious patching they added a dart and replicated one on the opposite sleeve so they would both match. They then posted the jacket back to me. All of this was done free of charge. I sensed the staff there really cared about the brand and their customers. Great article which has inspired me to revisit both brands.
Did you treat yourself to anything from any of the lines whether it be mainline, ghost, marina or stellina and if not, do you have any plans to?
Very good question JS, can’t believe that hasn’t come up yet!
I think I might get the blue fleece above, and I was tempted by the down jacket but I already have two nice ones and that’s definitely enough.
I would look to Stellina in the future paricularly for outdoor wear I think
simon
which are the 2 down jackets you own?
I think you sold the Cabourn right?
I sold one but only to get the bigger size..
I have that one and a vintage Woolrich one
A brand’s reputation depends on the caliber of customers it attracts, and Stone Island has rarely been lucky in that regard. Other commenters have mentioned the hooligan association, but even outside the UK, I mostly see Stone Island on shady eastern europeans who wear it with head-to-toe logos and a manpurse. Not the kind of people I want to be associated with even though I like some of their designs. I can get a similar look minus the logos and associations from Ten C.
This article felt a bit like a ”paid collaboration” article to me. Not that I particularly mind, but I recall you mentioning that you want that type of feedback.
Stone Island has a lot of nice pieces (particularly vintage).
Cheers
Thank you Erik, that is useful though it certainly wasn’t.
Long time reader, prompted to become a first time commenter. I’m pleased to see something a bit different on here tbh Simon. I own a number of SI jumpers and simply take the badge off. Quality of the knitwear is high and I find them nice to wear and something a little different. Often worn down to the park with my brother and his kids on the weekend with a decent pair of jeans, doek trainers or similar and a nice coat / chore jacket over the top – all in all, not very hooligan. Like anything, the context matters I think.
Pleased you enjoyed trying the pieces on and interesting coverage here, the variety is why we visit the site after all and in my case, nice to see what I regarded a ‘guilty pleasure’ getting the PS seal of approval.
Cheers Samuel, and interesting to hear
CNN article on Stone Island and their fans
Brands can’t choose their customers. So what happens when extremists wear their clothes?
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/15/style/when-extremists-wear-fashion-brands
I have quote a few SI pieces going back to the 90s but only without any logo or branding. Favourite was a grey rubberised peacoat supposedly modeled on Italian submariners
Ha, somebody at CNN seems to watch Permanent Style. Stone Island is mentioned in the article.
Glad that this was posted. As someone who has met Simon more than once, I don’t believe he was aware of the article and isn’t pushing Stone Island due to an extremist viewpoints.
however his article was in poor timing given the linked piece. I had read that piece separately and it does appear that Stone Island and some of the others have been favored by the far right. Interestingly Stone Island unlike New Balance and Perry Ellis has not addressed these viewpoints.
Nice article Simon, it was cool to see the brand in a different light than what I, as an American, have typically associated it with. Due to its hip hop ties and the brand typeface or logo being on most of the items it never really appealed to me, but I had no clue the owner had such a deep history in manufacturing and the brand made high quality clothing. Also, the first sweater and the last jacket of the article are really beautiful.
Side note, I think its fun to see how your style evolves over time just through reading. You mentioned you had been looking for a cream mock neck and I remember years ago when you didn’t find mock necks that useful or appealing haha.
Cheers!
Ha! True, and nice to hear Christopher thanks
I really liked the chenille cotton jumper that you covered – and ordered it the same day. It arrived this morning. The quality is great and the subtle details make it a really special piece of knitwear. Later I dropped in at my alteration tailor. The first thing she said after I had engeres the Shop was: Wow, that is a really cool jumper!
Normally I avoid flashy logos but in this case I quite like it. As Simon says, it´s casual/sportswear and therefore the logo doesn ´ t feel so out of place. The jumper looks fab combined with my orSlow fatigues and suede desert boots. I love the jumper, so thanks, Simon for covering Stone Island.
No worries Heiko. Bringing something unexpected like that to light is an amazing thing to be able to do. Enjoy!
Interesting NYT article today on brand adoption by various groups and highlighting Stone Island as an example. One can only suppose the reasons why adults would walk around with logos on their clothes and none of them good.
Patch on the sleeve tho. Ruins everything. For the guys I’ve known who wear this stuff, it’s the patch that matters most.
There’s a fantastic photo of Steven Spielberg wearing Stone island . He wears it with pure class . Sadly the black market in turkey and Thailand have devalued the experience of stone. There is a fantastic documentary on you tube about the mills where they are made. Fascinating watch
Sorry, did I miss the byline?
No Paul – most articles are by me, Simon, and then they don’t have a byline.
Interesting though that you’d now expect one though – it’s only been a year or so since we’ve consistently had contributors
ROFL – Paul seems to be implying this article was written by Stone Island 🙂
Nothing egregious here as John seems to imply, rather, it just felt like it was coming from a different angle–different tastes even–and along with all the hooligan references in the initial comments I found myself scanning to see who wrote it before finishing the story.
Thanks Paul
It’s amazing how the groups that adopt a brand (through no fault of the brand), can stigmatize that brand for so many others. I like many of Stone Island’s jackets, but I would be unlikely to purchase anything major from them. Just as I would shy away from Burberry, Moncler, Gucci, etc. I do find brands’ efforts at rectifying this (Burberry in particular), fascinating.
Yes, Burberry back pedalled a bit (with their Knight in armour returning and a softening of their blocky typeface), though the way Gucci and Balenicaga products are now so logo heavy and so popular with the streetwear scene, it’s hard to imagine them wanting to reclaim an older audience?
Every single one of you owes a debt to the football lads of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s and their endless quest for sartorial one-upmanship, whether you want to acknowledge it or not.
If the scene had been started by the middle-class, there’s be a statue of Chester Perry somewhere in Westminster and it’d mandatory learning on fashion and design courses.
Nicely put
I used to have a few CP company and stone island items.
This was before it became big at football games or when only a few people with such interest wore it here in Stockholm, Sweden where I live.
I bought a nice CP company sweater when in London and remember wearing it going to a pub just south of river Thames in central London. I probably wore it with high end chinos of another brand and designer sneakers (leather),
There was a gentleman there wearing a more traditional outfit probably in his 30’s I think he was wearing a traditional waxed jacket, jeans (probably Levi’s), traditional brown men’s shoes (like derby’s or something) and probably a traditional blue men’s shirt.
He stared at me with aggression and was furious. Since I did not know this gentleman I suppose it must have been the CP company sweater.
It would be great to hear from people from the UK, if it was the more relaxed nature of the clothing compared to his more traditional apparel, or if it was the association with with hooligans ?
Or was it a class issue. I.e. did he think I was working class and did not belong in this part of London ?
What would you think would provoke such reaction ?
And is it common that such apparel may provoke strong reactions and if so why ?
I had a similar experience when walking into a record shop on the south side inner city of Stockholm, but maybe opposite.
I was wearing a knitted polo RL sweater (probably knitted cottton) and Prada sneakers (leather, more traditional model) with jeans or army pants, in a relaxed way.
The person working at the shop did not like it, and I suppose he was kinda a rocker or something.
For those outside of Sweden, South Side or Södermalm is a part of the city with lots of artists and for a long time a lot of working class and quite often a bit left leaning in politics I suppose although this may have changed it is now quite expensive to live there.
I guess apparel / fashion / clothes does have a lot of emotional effect on many.
I suppose it’s part of the tendency to characterize individuals based on such matters as where they live or what type of clothing they wear like : “you wear those brands of clothing therefore you are like this”. Which may be prejudice like :
You wear Polo clothes therefore you are a brat. I suppose the RL choice of symbol the polo horse rider has some effect like that due to the sports association with upper class or the like. A lot of RL clothes are not that expensive.
Or you wear C.P. Company therefore you are a hooligan. And some C.P. Company advertising has used football culture references hence this may have been picked up by many.
So in some ways it may be how the brands express their style and associations with different things.
For example Mr. Ralph Laurens own story, growing up in more working class areas of New York, then with his success becoming wealthy and living a lifestyle on Manhattan or the like reflecting that.
I bought my first Stone Island piece last year, a black long-sleeved merino wool polo. It strikes the balance between sporty and dressy for work or a dinner out with friends. I removed the patch so you still see two buttons on the sleeve but it just looks like a minor small embellishment that usually goes unnoticed.
I liked the fabric so much that I got a dark brown crew neck from the same monochromatic “Ghost” line year. The fit is great, somewhat sporty but still has a nice cinched waistband so the sweater sits nicely on my hips.
I am now tempted by the technical cotton cargo pants, also from the Ghost line. But I think I’ll hold off.
Some of the prices on Stone Island are hard to understand. They’ll charge a lot for an innovative technical fabric with a special dye method or limited run color.
These pieces is that they are definitely on the pricier side, but I still don’t feel like I’m paying anywhere close to a designer mark-up.
Also, the fabrics are 100% merino wool, which I like.
And a side note — the brand shop in Soho in NYC is beautiful.
Useful experience to share, thanks Max
Firstly, Great choices. This seasons Marina pieces have been for lack of a better word, yummy! And to be honest the last few seasons have ben on point, for those not wed to the badge Marina and Stellina are just the ticket!
On another note, I think people still like to push the narrative that in the UK Stone Island is a brand associated with hooligans as if it serves as some sort of romantic yore of olde! Of course in the 80s / 90s yes this was the case, however in the 80s 90s there were also people who wore it because the music they listened to pop/ indie / house / garage came with an invite to fashion, especially Italian and French brands (Moschino, Stone Island, Cerutti, etc. ) I do know some place won’t let you wear it into pubs especially in small towns outside of London,Manchester, Liverpool etc. but its 2025 and Tarquin and his dad Henry wear stone island now so I think we can slow down with the thugs r us narrative. Things have definitely moved on.. Saying that I’m off to av a tear up at 4 tomorrow. Lets avvvvvvvit!!!!!!!!!!
Oh!! Check out my Channel please – I do some videos about this very thing clobber we speak about 😀
https://youtube.com/@wantswearenotthesame?si=Iqi2cA6EyLJRSmz4
Hey – nice points, but usually we only include external links when they’re relevant to the article/point if that’s ok. Cheers
Quite frankly not convinced.The only piece which to me could have some appeal is the jumper if it wasn’t for the big logo on the arm. I did wear big visible logos when I was a teenager. I don’t anymore, except in some very rare cases because a particular piece really appealed to me. And that’s not knowing anything about the brand, despite seeing it every now and then.
Another label with “certain” football culture associations is Lyle and Scott.,
Comedian Ronnie Corbett invariably wore their jumpers complete with logo when he performed his “Ronnie in the chair” pieces in numerous “Two Ronnies” BBCtv Shows.
Always bright colours, often geometric designs and occasionally plain but with a deep V neck, and always looking fabulous,
His distinctive knitwear “singing” against deep collared Turnbull and Asser shirts.
An old school, though not old fashioned. truly stylish comedian.
Love this, I think the more we stay away from it for fear of being labeled a hooligan, the longer that staple sticks.
if more took the bold move, we could take the brand back to its classy beginnings! I for one plan a shopping spree that includes a few pieces of the new collections!
Nicely put Lewis