Established in 1982 in Ravarino, Italy, Stone Island is commemorating its 40th anniversary this year with special releases, as well as by revamping its retail identity. The luxury brand has announced a new partnership with OMA/AMO to design multiple stores, kicking off with a new flagship in Chicago.
OMA (short for Office for Metropolitan Architecture) is an architectural practice founded by architects Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis, along with Madelon Vriesendorp and Zoe Zenghelis, while AMO is OMA’s research and design studio. Their latest project is a new, 180-square meter retail space for Stone Island in Chicago, with additional stores opening soon in Seoul, Munich, and Stockholm.
The design of the new space was informed by Stone Island’s approach in transforming materials from typical into unique. Shredded paper and resins were compressed under high pressure to become durable “concrete panels.” Cork, the central material to the Stone Island stores, is burnt, sandblasted and coated, turning dark and textured, while maintaining its sound-absorbing, humidity-controlling features. Corrugated steel panels, sand-coated, acquire a soft surface. A large digital chandelier, suspended from the ceiling, broadcasts Stone Island’s culture to its community.
Beyond opening hours, the new Stone Island stores will host public presentations, salons, workshops, and private events.
“Stone Island and AMO share values of innovation, functionality, and passion,” says Stone Island Creative Director and President Carlo Rivetti. “I am very happy to begin this important partnership, a new visual approach for our stores, to speak to our communities.
“Research and innovation are at the core of Stone Island,” says AMO Director Samir Bantal. “The space, materiality, and program of the stores underpin the brand’s ethos, and reinforce a sense of belonging of its community of like-minded people.”
Check out the Stone Island x OMA/AMO “Modern Alchemy” short film, as well as photos of the new Chicago space, below. Stone Island Chicago opens today, October 20th, located at 48 East Oak Street.
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Photos by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy of Stone Island and OMA/AMO
[…] from opening a new flagship location in Chicago, Stone Island has been celebrating its 40th anniversary with special drops throughout 2022. The […]