This article was originally published on June 8, 2022 and updated on July 14, 2022.
Stone Island and material research go hand-in-hand; it's the Italian mastermind's bread and butter. Though we're presented with the experimentation of the season twice a year, rarely do we get an explicit look at its boundary-pushing products, that is until the latest in its Prototype Research Series is unveiled at Milan Design Week. With the arrival of the 6th installment, SI transforms Kevlar into a striking piece of outerwear.
Thanks to its four decades-long history of pushing fabric and color experimentation to its limits, Stone Island need not offer anything too left of field to remain firmly planted in the minds and hearts of its dedicated fans. Each season, there's plenty to be desired across the board – Ghost Pieces, Shadow Project collections, updated and reimaged fabrications and dye treatments...the list goes on.
Real excitement lies in Milan Design Week, where Stoney showcases its annual Prototype Research Series. If you're unfamiliar with the series, which is now on its 6th iteration, it shows what the mad scientists behind Stone Island's doors have been doing to continue elevating its legacy.
Typically, a single fabric or treatment is chosen and pushed to its limits to create a limited run of outerwear that is beyond the scope of mass production. Over the years, this has included lasering on a liquid reflective surface, manual flocking on Nylon Metal Grid-Ovd, and copper nanotechnology, to name a few.
For the sixth installment in the series, Stone Island has partnered with Kevlar to develop a unique 100-piece series of jackets. Each of the outerwear pieces utilizes the high strength, toughness, and thermal stability of Kevlar by combining it with a dévoré printing technique that disintegrates the cotton yarn, creating an allover pattern that reveals the characteristically yellow Kevlar core.
The resulting product is nothing short of otherwordly, creating a palpable excitement for what the future of Stone Island's production capabilities truly holds.
For the chance to view the project with your own eyes, head over to Milan Design 2022 from June 7-12. Unfortunately, your chance to secure a piece of your own has passed as all 100 of the limited-edition jackets sold out upon release on July 12. The best way to wipe away your tears? Shop the latest from Stone Island online now.
