This is a brand I’ve been wanting to deep dive into for a long time. It’s a brand that, as an Aussie, I haven’t really understood. My first time learning about and witnessing it was probably in Green Street Hooligans. Then I started noticing the iconic badge a little more.
The one thing I couldn’t comprehend... this brand that is worn by these ‘football hooligans’... is fucking expensive and it’s Italian luxury. A brand built around experimentation and quality. Why did it resonate so much with the guys going to the football each week to get in fights with opposing fans? This is something that nobody can answer for me. I’ve seen online that the geezers needed a bit of a disguise, so they thought if they dressed nicely, the cops would leave them alone. Which makes sense, until some football stadiums & pubs started banning Stone Island because of the people wearing it causing trouble. The disguise became the uniform.
I spent the morning working on a campaign for the brand, which featured two archivists. One from South London, Archie Maher, and one from Japan, Seiya. Whilst their upbringings couldn’t have been more different, they connect and feel united by this badge.
I won’t spoil the campaign, but what I learnt is that the obsession comes from the effort they know went into every product. They know that if they see the badge on the street, there is a mutual respect. I’ve spoken before about how I used to feel this way with Aimé Leon Dore, before the Unisphere hat became the most popular hat in London. If you liked early Aimé, you were part of the club, Stone Island has managed to keep this feeling alive for 40+ years.
It got me thinking... maybe I’m the sucker, because whilst you know how I feel about Aimé, I can’t confirm or guarantee the quality of the product the way these two can about Stone Island. And I’ve spent a lot of money on Aime and now I’m questioning the price justification, having heard these Stone Island stories. I respect people who collect things, I always have, and I think there is an alternate universe where I am a collector of some sorts. My issue is that there isn’t that one thing or brand that I truly obsess over. It jumps around too much.
You have to take your hat off to Stone Island. They have the most diverse fanbase you could possibly find. From fat old geezers to kids wearing balaclavas on the Tube. Their extremely high product standards and their willingness to take risks with design & colours have people flying around the world just to experience an exhibition that is launching at Selfridges this week.
I know... and to my wife, if you’re reading: if I happen to spend £500 on a crewneck jumper or £940 on a coach jacket below, there’s a very good chance these products will outlive us both. So when you break down the cost per wear, it’s actually not that bad. (Hayden maths right there.)
The Stone Island badge is the original Google Translate. Archie and Seiya don’t need a shared language. They’ve got the badge.
As always, thanks for reading.
Hayden