Can any fashion experts on here enlighten me on why their clothing is so expensive, what's so special about it? It seems to be the go-to brand along with Moncler for the nouveau rich (or people who want to be regarded as that).
Nothing screams stuck in the 90s more to me than someone wearing stone island and adidas maybe a tag watch also
Adidas? Surely everyone has a pair or 30 of adidas trainers? Hardly statement clothing.
I gave up Stone Island a long time ago, never got Moncler, but do like a bit of CP Company and have the little green crocodile on a few pieces.
As I approach 50 I'm far more into sustainable, ethical and and eco-garb. Luckily there are loads of manufacturers making the effort so the choice isn't limited to kaftans and sandals.
Besides, I don't go out anymore anyway so I could probably just live in my pants
Exactly. Avoid.
The badge on the sleeve for Stone Island clothes has lived out its welcome imo..and the plastic thing on CP company clothes is annoying. (maybe because I feel a little too old for it now) But the garments, actually made in Italy are top quality materials and designs. Edit: I'm not or never was a football Hooligan.
The quality of the fabric (sweaters) is rather good. There's even a hype for the older SI patches from the 90s.
M
I’’’’ am certainly no expert but Stone Island have always been regarded as producing well made clothes and experiment with fabrics to produce limited editions. I have friends that love the brand and have no affiliation to football or hooliganism in any way. I think their best stuff was back in the 90’s but they seem to still be going strong. I confess that I do like branded clothing and have a few Moncler pieces... do I think they are worth the money .. errr probably not but then the same can be said of watches.
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Use to be a fan years ago and had quite a few pieces. I wouldn’t wear it now because in my mind its associated with chavs. I would blame eBay and fakes for that. I also don’t think there stuff is as well made as they it use to be.
They are know for unique dyeing processes mainly in their jackets and the use of different materials.
The older stuff is becoming collectible especially the massimo osti stuff. I wish I’d keep my Paul Harvey design field coat that I bought in 2005 because it would be worth double what I sold it for now.
The same can be said for CP stuff. Their original stuff was innovative, and now it’s just mass produced crap. You’ve only got to look at what the original milli miglia goggle coats go for on eBay.
They were a better brand when they were much smaller. A bit like Ten C jackets right now.
All the sweat shirts, polos etc is just overpriced rubbish. If you look at something like a dark colour polo shirt against something of the same colour from Paul & Shark you will see the difference in quality after a few washes in the machine.
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Last edited by Andyp1973; 10th December 2020 at 23:08.
I'm 51 and wore Stone Island and CP stuff when i was in my early 20's
My son wears the occasional piece now and i haven't got round to saying I used to wear that stuff.
When I wore it the stuff was expensive ish but not outrageous as it seems to be now.
Quality was okay but it was the little detachable badge that did it for me.
Regards other comment I was always told by my BIL who had a shop selling all the casual type gear that Paul & Shark was the best quality.
If I wore the stuff now it would only be for a Danny Dyer interview.
I have a few Shadow Project bits and really do like them, the jackets have some really nice features, tech material and put together pretty well but I am talking classic pieces not the real wacky stuff. Same with CP some really nice featured stuff.
Moncler in the last 5 years has gone to another level and out strips SI and CP for cost.
I think with most brands if worn in the right manner, context and surroundings it’s fine, it’s like LV bags they portray a different image on the shoulder of a 50 year old lady walking down Bond St than hanging on a pushchair in Sports Direct.
Price wise there are far far more wallet rinsing brands than SI and CP.
I liked SI back in the day. Don't wear it anymore but do still have a heavy woollen hooded duffle coat that I paid a lot of money for back in the early 2000's and only wore it a couple of times as I used to get too hot in it. Nice quality coat though.
Love SI, the more understated stuff. Jackets are really good quality.
I wouldn't say it's over-priced particularly.
Kerry knows!!!! :)
I have a few stone island and CP pieces they are well made and have lasted an age and I can't fault the quality I do prefer them understated so I either wear no badge or switch to use a ghost or shadow project badge as its not so much in your face.
I do some work for four marketing who own the rights to distribute in the UK for both brands plus Paul & Shark among a few others - the main issue as a brand is they are attached to the terrace scene and so people get tagged with the hooligan tag by the masses and yes Ive been going to football for over 20 years so fall into that category but Im certainly no hooligan.
Its a brand that's very expensive and like it or not people like to attach themselves too, much like Rolex signifies wealth to the masses - once you have that prestige counterfeits will be mass produced and so its a very difficult situation for a brand....
There is a huge cult following of casuals who have moved on from the early days of terrace wear (Sergio Tachini, Fila, Lois gave way to Cp, SI, Aquascutum, Paul & Shark, Gucci, Prada, Burberry among others) in some cases them fans are afficiandos of the brand and have ridiculous collections and a short run item will command a massive premium
Fakes are rife nowadays and there are many more brands who have similar issues, Burberry got hammered with fakes a few years back and the check chav tag, there are many more, LV is everywhere you look now and Id bet my life the majority are fake, Canada goose is another example a premium item designed for specific purposes e.g the expedition parka is a near on £1000 jacket designed for extreme cold - I hardly wear mine its just too hot and yet I see people wearing them down the high street in the middle of summer (Ill bet my life its a fake)
Moncler as mentioned below is another brand that has shot to must have status amongst many and in fact it has this week purchased the stone island brand
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/12/0...sland-moncler/
The reality is brands like these have been mass counter fitted and Im guessing the people who buy these fakes do not read forums like TZ or would ever dream of paying rrp for such items - they've probably never heard of Belstaff and see Barbour as the go to wax attire and wouldn't know a fine English made brogue by Cheaneys, trickers and the likes but show them some Gucci ace or some Prada America Cups and they will know exactly what they are and where they can get snides from.
Last edited by R0bertb00th; 11th December 2020 at 21:15.
Very nicely put pal.
Pitch
I had lots of SI in the late 90s and early 00s, mostly sweaters but the odd coat. I once pulled in Ibizia solely because I was wearing SI jeans. A discerning lady!
The quality was exceptional and the pieces outlasted my desire to wear them. I remember as a sixth-former blowing most of my monthly part-time wage on a Paul and Shark woollen sweater, which was ridiculous at the time, but I loved it. Still got the canvas bags from LIFE in Leeds where most of my purchases came from.
In the end I sold lots of them around 2012 as I was having a clear out due to moving.
I would definitely wear their stuff again, and have looked online at various points. The problem is that most bricks and mortar sellers only stock XL or above (a bit like Belstaff) so to try on, you end up needing to buy a couple of sizes online, which I generally can't be arsed with.
I had a few Stone Island Jumpers that I hadn’t worn for years and gave them to my lad to sell, he got more for them than I paid because they were considered “classic pieces” badge had a yellow outline or something?
I have worn SI amongst other Italian sports brands since 1996. I love Stone Island, I am not a hooligan, I just love the brand. My interest for it of more recent times has waned somewhat and from peak of my obsession, mid 2000's with about 350+ jackets I have trimmed back to nearer 75 now. I have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world due to the brand, including Massimo Osit's son, Lorenzo and Carlo Rivetti.
Correct, it is worn by many hoolies or wannabe hoolies but like Kerry says, if you know you know. I have bought much more Ten C recently which is where Paul Harvey, the old designer of SI in the 90's and early 00's. Its very distinguishable and has no branding what so ever........ well it didn't have.
It'll be interesting to see what direct the company goes now after Moncler takeover. I suspect they will lower the prices of SI as they have been in direct competition with Moncler over the last few seasons. Time will tell.
I still have a pair of si jeans to small at the moment and had a cream si sweater in the 90s I would have kept it if I'd have known they are collectable I threw it out, I've have just bought 2 Paul and shark sweaters I had a look at the modern si and cp company stuff on flannels and a lot of it looks bizzare proberbly ok to wear if you are 20
Any of you guys remember a brand called Best Company back in the day.
Used to make these embroidered sweatshirts years back-Italian brand.
Had a couple of their offerings.
Used to wear a lot of SI back in the 90s... favourite piece was a big burgundy plastic coated jacket that looked like a toffee apple and had a removable inner donkey jacket which could be worn separately.
Also really liked my blue reflective Stone Island Marina jacket but it was quite susceptible to the reflective coating rubbing off at the normal wear areas.
All a bit too young for me these days, think I’ve got just 1 jacket now from their Ghost Piece collection. I think the reason I’ve kept that because the arm patch is the same colour as the jacket so it doesn’t scream out that I’m reliving my youth when I wear it !! I think the Shadow Project and Ghost pieces probably suit the older chap a bit better TBH.
I do like plenty of stone Island pieces but get put off by the terraces connotations.
Which is ridiculous really as I like parajumpers stuff (knitwear not puffy jackets) so I'm obviously fine dressing like a drug dealer but not like a footie fan..
If Paul and shark would just drop the word 'yachting' from their branding I would buy their stuff too. But living near the sea people who wear boating wear round here while drinking in pubs are generally the biggest type of tossers.
I tend to buy Scandinavian stuff plus belstaff, Bella Freud and parajumpers mainly.
First started wearing Stone Island at 14 in 2007, still have three badged pieces and probably have had 60/70 pieces over the years. Have 3/4 denims tops.
Not really bothered by it now apart from the old Denims stuff. Made between 2000-2010ish, much better branding but some bits have aged awfully.
Really dislike what it has became but it is what it is. It’s absolutely everywhere - if you went into any town or city on a “normal” day it wouldn’t be more than 5 mins before you saw someone wearing it. And even then it would be a sweatshirt and never a high end jacket (which I can still appreciate).
I went to parklife festival in 2014 and spent the entire first few hours telling people I wasn’t selling gear. Took the patch off the jacket and issue solved.
In my younger days I was more into Armani, Versace, Polo and Lacoste. The main reason was that you could always buy at a good price in a sale.
The Stone Island and CP clothes however were never in a sale or minimal discount, where as the other brands were 50% off or thereabout.
I have made a few purchases from End Clothing and for me it is always surprising to see the prices of brands. There are varsity jackets at £3000 - £4000!
I do like wearing hoodies and would like a SI one but not at £240. I need to find a 50% discount code!
It used to be an Italian brand and warrant the money for some stand out quality pieces. Now its made in sweatshops in the poorest countries on earth yet still commanding dreamt up prices. Not for me.... and nothing says you're a "muggy little cnt" than wearing that ghastly badge on the arm
I find the materials a bit weird tbh
I had this lovely woollen jacket. Thin wool. But lined in this plastic coating which meant the jacket was not breathable. I take it off and my clothes would be soaked in sweat. The inside of the jacket would be dripping in sweat.
Lined trousers and jeans (perfect for football terraces, incidentally)
I've had some really nice bits as well. Woollen Duffle coat with cotton lining. That looked great after many years use and my nephew sold it on eBay for £200!
I like the big labels on their stuff, it makes it easy to identify people I like to avoid.
That funny button on target thing on the sleeve?
Isn’t that code for “look at me I’m a right weapon”
I find the whole Stone Island/Lacoste/CP thing a bit odd.
Dressing in the 80s and 90s was all about fashion, and fashion is supposed to move on and evolve. I think dressing the same as you did 35 years ago a bit odd. It's become a nostalgia thing rather than a fasion thing.
It looks sad, a bit like 60-year-old Northern Sould fans wearing the same clothes that they did when they were 18.
Clothes are still a big interest for me, but surely fashion is about looking forwards rather than back.
These brands aren't really high fashion though and I wouldn't put Lacoste in with the other 2-different market I think.
I think Stone Islands style is a bit timeless and it's just whether you want to be associated with the name or not.
I wonder has everyone that wore SI moved onto Belstaff.
^Whilst I might wear the same brands as in my younger days, the style/colouring is more reserved.
But some items like Lacoste or Polo tshirts are timeless. As long as one buys the right fit, I do not think it matters.
I’ve definitely moved into Belstaff from SI for jackets. I have three was five. A trail master with liner for winter. A gangster leather for out in the evening and a 90th anniversary racemaster for spring/autumn. I recently sold two others to pay for the gangster.
I’ve also got a polo and few accessories. The quality of the polo doesn’t match the price point so I tend to stay away from that stuff. I also find a lot of their cloths outside of outer wear is quite boring. And why on earth would you wear a formal shirt with a branded patch on the arm.
Hope you’re well Jim.
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