STONE ISLAND JACKETS

Stone Island

"From the outset, Stone Island has undertaken innovative research into fibers and textiles never previously used in the clothing industry. This brand pushes the frontier of research further forward in each new collection, in a manufacturing world still dominated by processes and materials linked to tradition. This has resulted in products that are absolutely unique in terms of the materials used and procedures adopted. The production procedures are often adapted from completely different industrial sectors and when applied to clothing, instead of standardizing production they produce unrepeatable garments.

Outdoor jackets are made from nylon monofilament that creates a dense mesh derived from water filtering technology. Lightweight nylon films that are vacuum coated with a microscopic stainless steel film used in aviation technology to protect onboard computers. Non-woven fabrics, polyamide fiber felts, rhomboid nylon mesh used in the construction industry with a polyurethane coating. These are just some examples produced by Stone Island’s philosophy.

But this is no abstruse and pointlessly exasperated research: design is dictated by contemporary needs. Stone Island offers an absolutely innovative response in its fabrics, models and production techniques. Every new season shows how far it can carry us into the world of clothing.

The brand is also characterized by the different nature of its display: Stone Island exhibits its own brand not only through the use of visible labels, but also its choice of a vast range of strong colors. C.P. Company prefers to adopt the low profile of city workers, it loves beautiful things but without ostentation. The brands are targeted at two completely different markets and different age groups. C.P. Company is a man’s wardrobe, a total look. Stone Island offers a collection of unique, single items."

Massimo Osti

Creator of brand trademarks such as CP Company and Stone Island since the seventies, Massimo Osti imposed himself for his abilities of invention, research and experimentation with forms and most of all materials.

Absolute innovator since the beginning, Massimo Osti first shocked everyone with his unusual experiments using silkscreen printing, Xeroxing and four colour printing on T Shirts.

An inventor more than a traditional fashion designer, Massimo has always emphasised the functional, technological and innovative aspect of his garments instead of simply mutating fashion tendencies.

His long research brought him to build an archive which includes over 30,000 garments and 55,000 fabric samples. Examples of his innovations that we remember are the fabric coatings such as joint fabrics, thermo sensitive fabrics, rubber flax and rubber wool as well as being the first to use specialised garment dying and stone washing.

With his capacity to anticipate the future, he has traced paths that many others have pursued and will continue to follow. The entire textile industry has been entirely revolutionised by Osti’s research.

Conscious of inheriting this great richness of ideas, his son Lorenzo and daughter Agata, together with some of Massimo’s well known collaborators, will carry on the legacy of the Osti Studio with the objective of continuing the creative work of the past years and eventually producing a Studio Osti collection.

However, Lorenzo and Agata’s first project has been to create a Textile Library. This new project, which started in 2004, with Massimo’s help, will hold and preserve the constant research brought on by Osti in a period of 30 years activity.

Massimo Osti Studio will also continue the activity of styling consultant which has always been tied to innovation and research within the textile industry.

Lorenzo Osti.