When we think of Stone Island, we think of the coast. Gentle waves slapping a far-off Italian shoreline. Peeling wooden fence posts painted shades of Neapolitan ice cream. The quiet guffaw of seagulls hanging in a low breeze.
Stone Island has always been romantic about the ocean. The sea is woven into the brand’s identity just as deeply as the compass badge itself – an emblem itself that was lifted from a crest on Massimo Osti’s childhood boat. By all accounts, Osti was obsessed with maritime life. He sailed in his spare time, holidayed along the Italian coast, and, obviously, there’s that iconic photo of him carting a wheelbarrow full of fish
Osti loved the ocean, and that fascination filtered through every aspect of Stone Island. In 1983, he went as far as dedicating an entire subdivision of the brand to maritime influence with Stone Island Marina. Years later, his son Lorenzo Osti recalled in an interview with Athleta Mag that his father was happiest at sea – “free from the chaos and noise of his profession.”
To understand Stone Island and its creator, Massimo Osti, you have to understand the sea – not as a body of water, but as a constantly ebbing source of inspiration.
In Stone Island’s infancy, naval influence was everywhere. Silhouettes were boxy and cropped, stripes echoed traditional sailor uniforms, and weatherproofing remained central to the design philosophy. Look at any Stone Island collection between 1982 and 1985 and you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a sailing brand.
Some of the label’s most coveted pieces were directly informed by maritime apparel. The 1989 Ice Jacket – the purple one Osti wears while smoking in the now-legendary image – drew heavily from sailing gear, most noticeably in its protective collar strap. Osti even took the jacket to the beach himself to test how the heat-reactive fabric would behave against sea air and water, resulting in one of the most iconic photos in Stone Island history.
The abundance of smocks, sailing jackets and striped garments throughout those early collections reveals just how important the coast was to Osti’s life. When he wasn’t in the studio, he was in the sea. And when he wasn’t in the sea, he was lying on a beach observing it.
But Osti’s fascination extended beyond the ocean itself. He was equally captivated by the vessels built to navigate it. Boats became a lifelong passion, and over the years he collected many of them, beginning with a small wooden boat purchased in 1984 that Lorenzo described as “incredibly uncomfortable, practically falling apart, but irresistibly charming.”
His love of sailing eventually led to Stone Island sponsoring the racing yacht Bologna, which finished second in the America 500 transatlantic regatta with ‘Stone Island’ proudly stamped across its sails.
For Osti, boats were a source of inspiration in much the same way cars were. His garments were designed to function in the harsh, unpredictable conditions that accompany sailing – from protective storm collars that shielded against ocean spray, to cropped jackets that allowed unrestricted movement while clambering around a boat. Even the mascot of sister brand C.P. Company took the form of a sailor.
Pretty much all of our favourite Stone Island visuals from over the years feature the coast somewhere in them, and SEVENSTORE’s new ‘Contemporary Refined’ editorial continues that tradition. For the campaign, the retailer has taken Stone Island (among other brands) back to its true home, in a visit to a vibrant yet faded Italian seaside town.
The editorial sees outwear like the Nylon Metalineconyl Dyed Shirt photographed against peeling concrete walls, while easy-wearing Stone Island Marina Slub trousers are sported as the crew scan the Italian coastline.
The visuals we have to say are nothing short of lovely – beautifully reminiscent of the golden era of Stone Island clothing and imagery. Above all else, though, the images have been shot in the exact kind of setting where Stone Island looks most at home, and where its founder, Massimo Osti, felt most at peace.
Find out more about SEVENSTORE’s Contemporary Refined campaign at sevenstore.com
