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Stone Island has now filled ‘The Corner Shop’ at Selfridges space with a six-week installation running until 6 November, following Paul Smith’s ‘Dream Factory’ residency which ran from 7-19 September.
Throughout the installation, collector archives will be presented alongside the brand’s new AW26 collection, with a series of products exclusive to Selfridges.
Bringing together Stone Island’s archive and the collector community that has grown around it, the project gives collectors a platform to present their own research, archives and perspectives of the brand.
The project, called ‘Selected Works ‘982 – ‘026 Stone Island: The Collector Series’ marks Stone Island’s first formal collaboration with the independent collectors who have “helped preserve, interpret and shape the culture of the brand over four decades”.
The collectors include Arco Maher, Better Gift Shop, ‘bout, 194 Local, Louis Holsgrove, Metallic Curtain, Pezze, and SimJae.
The space, designed by Willo Perron as an evolving spatial system drawing on the brand’s legacy of material experimentation, will change weekly.
Each collector will present a personally curated selection, and all archive garments will be available to purchase.
Stone Island CEO & President, Robert Triefus, said: “Stone Island has never existed only through the garments we create. Its culture has also been shaped by the people who discover, wear, preserve and reinterpret them.
“The Collector Series brings those voices to the forefront, offering a unique perspective on the brand through the experiences and personal histories of collectors around the world. We are grateful to Selfridges for providing the setting for this dialogue and helping bring this project to life.”
Custom metal fixtures and monochromatic digital screens enhance the space and draw on the language of early computer systems, creating a connection to the archival collections on display.
Within the changing environment, each collector will present a distinct perspective on the Stone Island archive, highlighting the histories, material innovations and cultural significance embedded in the garments over time.
Vintage highlights include the ‘AW ‘983 – ‘984 Jock-23’, the AW ‘989-‘990 Ice Jacket in Thermosensitive Fabric’, the ‘SS ‘993 Reflective Jacket’, and the ‘AW ‘001-‘002 Monofilament Camo’.
Together, those pieces trace the evolution of Stone Island’s “material science” and mark key breakthroughs in garment making technologies.
Alongside the collector archives, a broad selection from the current Stone Island collection will include three pieces available exclusively at Selfridges: the ‘Hand-treated Leather Organza Burnt Orange Parka’ in week 1, the ‘Reflective Treatment Denim Research Jumpsuit’ in week 2 and the ‘Panno Speciale Stand Collar Jacket’ in week 4.
Bosse Myhr, Director of Buying at Selfridges, commented: “We are excited to bring Stone Island’s unique archive collection to The Corner Shop, the perfect destination to bring together rare collector pieces with the latest collection, including a selection of designs exclusive to Selfridges.
“For us, it is also about bringing our customers even closer to the world of Stone Island and strengthening the sense of community around the brand. It celebrates what makes Stone Island so culturally significant, while looking firmly to what comes next.”
The takeover will coincide with the worldwide launch of ‘Stone Island No Seasons’, which takes forward an original project by the late Stone Island founder, Massimo Osti, which was first introduced in 1989 and produced until 1994.
‘No Seasons’ centres on a single outerwear silhouette realised in six iconic fabrications, each garment-dyed in ‘piombo grey’.
The Corner Shop takeover is accompanied by a “cultural programme” extending the project’s exploration of archive, research and community across film, sound and conversation.
That will include a premiere film screening of ‘Passport’ by Glenn Kitson, a new documentary about Stone Island collectors, filmed using vintage digital cameras across seven cities in seven countries: London, Paris, Naples, New York, Toronto, Seoul and Tokyo.
Part travelogue, part interview series, ‘Passport’ follows eight collectors as they discuss their passion for Stone Island within the distinct cultural context of each city – a cross-cultural conversation united by an appreciation of the brand’s unique design perspective.
The film will be screened at The Cinema at Selfridges and the full video will be available from 7pm (Central European Time) on 23 September.