Dior will launch a highly anticipated capsule collection with Stone Island, an apparel brand based in Lavarino, Italy.
The collaboration was curated by Kim Jones, Dior’s Artistic Director for Men, and before the launch of the collection, Stone Island’s website unveiled a campaign visual modeled by Jones herself.
Jones wears a vintage-effect black lambskin field jacket with the Dior logo and the iconic Stone Island compass badge. The jacket is inspired by 20th-century aviator jackets, which are hand-applied with a special resin & wax treatment.
Known for their unyielding pursuit of excellence, both brands are deeply rooted in their respective histories and continue to honor the legacy of unparalleled skill and expertise established by their founders, Christian Dior and Massimo Osti. This collection combines the romance, rigor, and history of the Parisian haute couture atelier with the expert machining and functional detailing of northern Italy.
The history of Stone Island dates back to 1982. At the time, Osti named the brand “Stone Island” after the works of the great Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad.
The brand is known for its use of high-tech, reflective fabrics and its logo, a yellow and green compass with a nautical star. Its aesthetic originated in military wear, workwear, and active sportswear, especially water activities.
Osti was known as one of the most innovative fabric innovators in postwar Italy, gaining a reputation for groundbreaking materials such as rubber flax and rubber wool. Osti died of cancer in 2005 at the age of only 59, but his legacy continues to shine through.
Jones commented about the collection, “There is a meeting of Monsieur Dior and Massimo Osti’s work for Stone Island in this collection – it is the coming together of ‘obsessives.’ They might have been people from opposite ends of the fashion spectrum – from an haute couture vision to that of military functionality – yet I think they’d recognize something in each other and in what they achieved through clothing. Here, in the coming together of contrasting traditions, there’s a kind of clothing alchemy,”
Throughout the 74-piece collection, pale and gentle colors such as confederate gray, mustard, soft strawberry, and refreshing mint green are skillfully incorporated. In addition, field jackets arranged in cotton silk and embossed leather are finished with Stone Island’s signature “garment dye” technique, which gives them a deep and unique texture.
The shoe collection includes low-cut “B30” sneakers in one color and sophisticated, cotton satin sneakers embroidered with the “Dior Oblique” motif. Classic boots and elegant derby shoes are also available.
The “STONE ISLAND & DIOR Capsule Collection” will be available for pre-sale in Milan on June 14, London on June 18, and in North America on June 27, with a worldwide launch scheduled for July 4.
