Stone Island's 40-plus year legacy is built on two things: exceptional material innovation, and a cult community following. The brand's new Munich store honors both in 360 square meters of industrial-meets-artisanal excellence.
Opened in early July, the store is the second to be designed by AMO, the conceptual studio of architectural firm OMA, after Chicago. We got an exclusive tour of the store ahead of its opening with AMO’s creative director Samir Bantal.
“[Stone Island's approach to design] needs a lot of patience, a lot of dedication. So that was my starting point. I felt that whatever we would do in the form of architecture had to represent that sense of dedication to the materials,” explains Bantal. Stone Island’s obsession with materials is well documented. Collection after collection, the Italian brand pushes the boundaries by manipulating and coloring all sorts of fabrics in unexpected ways. When AMO and Stone Island first began working together in 2021, Bantal’s first stop was the brand’s HQ in Ravarino where its research and development take place. “The first thing I wanted was actually to go to Ravarino, where the lab is. Everyone who knows Stone Island knows that there's a lot of effort and thinking in the design and the production of the products. But to actually see it, to experience it, that was something really special.”
Upon entering the store, it's immediately clear that materiality was crucial to the design concept. The facade is cut from local granite. Inside, deep brown walls are made from cork that's been sliced, sandblasted, and dyed. The stainless steel lining the staircase’s walls has been colored through an electrical current (don’t ask me how). The ceiling lightboxes are clad with Tyvek, a paper-like material that has been used in Stone Island’s collections. Even the fitting rooms are a textural delight, made from corrugated steel sprayed with sand and finished in a dusty pink shade.
The store is one of Stone Island's largest and has three floors, each with its own character. The ground floor is dedicated to storytelling. In the entrance, there's an adjustable screen, which Bantal calls “a digital chandelier”, that can be lowered to serve as a floating display table or tilted to show videos. Archive pieces are dotted around the walls with panels displaying fabric swatches as was developed. At the back, a red resin wall features a number of miniature screens showing videos of various stages in the production process.
A spiral staircase leads to a spacious basement with a large aisle and product display, changing rooms, and a multifunctional auditorium that will be used for community events. Currently, it displays a selection of thermosensitive Ice jackets, including one kept cool in a refrigerator. The first floor displays the majority of the collection, along with footwear, and has a “secret” VIP changing room.
After Italy, Germany is one of Stone Island’s largest markets and has been since the ‘80s, which is put down to a trickle upwards effect from the brand’s home turf. As such, Bantal designed the space to be part store, part community hub. “[compared to Chicago] there's a larger following here that would require Stone Island to communicate in a different way. We added a VIP room and the auditorium. We wanted not only to offer the product, but also to offer the possibility of experiences. It could be a preview of the collection. It could be a meet-up around a collector or a guest.”
From the Paninaros and to the Casuals; hooligans to hip-hop royalty; Drake to Dave; community and personal connection have always surrounded Stone Island. The store takes that into consideration and will be much more than a place to buy but also a place of interaction, discovery, and community. Make sure to stay tuned for more coming very soon.
