Outerwear's very own mad scientist, Stone Island, is turning 40 this year, and what better way to kick off a year of innovation and celebrations than with its favorite communicative medium – a visual showcase.
2022 is looking like a year of big milestones across fashion and sneakers. As we cautiously step through the 20s decade, brand's air miles continue to rack up, seeing the Nike Air Max 1 and New Balance 990 turn 35 and 40, respectively. It's a year of big birthdays, and Stone Island is sitting right in the thick of it, four decades down the line.
Whether or not you choose to sport the famed compass on your arm, there's no denying the legacy and rich subcultural history that Stone Island has been an integral part of over the past forty years.
From casual and terrace culture to its close affiliation with Grime and UK Rap artists like Dave and its adoption in the US byways of Nike and Drake, its experimental, innovative approach to garment design has seen its unmistakable pieces celebrated the world over.
In its latest visual showcase (Stone Island is very keen on its videos), the brand explores its foundations – what, and who is Stone Island?
As narrated in the "40 YEARS" video: "Function is the purest form of aesthetics. It's a fact. And so, the path to perfection becomes an engineering challenge to be solved. Embrace industry as artistry; practice technology as the absolute form of creativity. Follow obsessions; it's a force for progress.
Never stop experimenting; it's the gateway to the rule's exception. Study colors; it's the artist's theory. Look at life and disorder as the ultimate lab; it's where resilience and spirit are truly tested. And never compromise, not even a litter. This, is Stone Island."
Though the video doesn't give much away in terms of what product we can expect as part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations, it certainly captures the essence of the brand and leaves us curious about what the year ahead will entail.
