In Conversation With Robert Triefus: Stone Island’s Vision for the Future

In the year since Hypebeast China’s last conversation with Stone Island CEO Robert Triefus, the brand has continued to define its “next chapter” through a series of notable milestones. Notable highlights include the Selected Works 982-‘024 exhibition in Los Angeles, collaborative initiatives like the capsule series with Dior, as well as the interactive Friendly Pressure: Studio One exhibition at Milan Design Week this year. The brand also strengthened its community engagement, inviting figures such as Spike Lee and Ethan Ruan to join, while recent events with Hypebeast Flea showcased the reprinted book Stone Island Storia: Updated and the documentary Infinite Colours.

This evolution comes two years after Triefus assumed leadership of the brand, steering it toward a greater emphasis on the “LAB & LIFE” philosophy. Under his guidance, Stone Island has focused on advancing product research and development, strengthening its community engagement and weaving members into the brand's narrative. In a follow-up conversation with Hypebeast, Triefus reflected on his personal connection to Stone Island, sharing insights into how his role has evolved and how these initiatives have shaped the brand’s story.

It has been a year since we last met in Beijing. How’s it going?

It has been a very exciting year, that’s for sure. When we spoke in Beijing, I was able to share what we were planning for this next chapter of Stone Island, a brand that has had a wonderful legacy for over 40 years.

What has come to pass in this last year is a beautiful evolution of the brand's DNA, always staying true to the “LAB and LIFE” ethos at our core. It has given me great satisfaction to witness the further evolution of the Stone Island collection, as we continue to emphasize innovation and material research, while also introducing members of our community into the storytelling. In other words, we have been able to emphasize our obsession towards the products we design and make and our community from multiple perspectives.

What was your most exciting moment in the past year?

There have been many exciting moments and that’s what makes Stone Island so special. Probably the highlights for me are when we bring our community together.

I’m proud to say that in Los Angeles, last February, we had the opportunity to celebrate our highly valued historical archive with the community, coinciding with the Frieze art fair. It was a very special moment because it was the first time we brought the archive to the U.S. The curiosity around the archive was incredibly moving to witness. By way of the exhibition Selected Works '982-'024, we were able to showcase our legacy of materials research and innovation while celebrating the subcultures that have made our community so vibrant.

In the new book Stone Island Storia: Updated, the design archives spanning decades are revisited. Which recent season's product left the greatest impression on you? Is there an interesting story behind its development?

There is a material in the Stone Island archive called Raso Gommato (rubberized satin), which was first introduced in the SPRING_SUMMER '984 collection — one of the earliest in the journey of the brand. Raso Gommato has been part of our DNA ever since, through many iterations. So for me, it was exciting to bring this material back for SPRING_SUMMER '025, but in a new form, thanks to technical innovation.

We've now developed it into a three-layer fabric that undergoes a special washing process in a resin bath. Once dried, the garment is marked with a distinctive camouflage pattern using a laser. The subtle, tone-on-tone camouflage is then brought to life through garment dyeing. To me, this again speaks to Stone Island’s constant mission of advancing material research and innovation.

We also introduced the “Stone Island Material Science” series, which aims to illuminate our customers with the elaborate process behind our pieces. The Raso Gommato 3L Laser Camo was the first piece selected for this initiative. To complete the story, the latest Stone Island x New Balance Made in USA 998 was inspired by this pinnacle Raso Gommatof piece from our collection. The shoe was sold out within a matter of days!

“What has come to pass in this last year is a beautiful evolution of the brand’s DNA, always staying true to the “LAB and LIFE” ethos at our core.”

How does the reprinted edition of Stone Island Storia: Updated differ from the earlier version?

Storia was first published in 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it never really had the launch it deserved. I felt it was important to celebrate this wonderful book, which, as the title suggests, tells the LAB and LIFE stories that are part of Stone Island's history.

This new edition allowed us to introduce a new 56-page chapter, which highlights the incredible strength of the Stone Island community and celebrates the individuals and groups that have made this community so vast.

Can you share some fun facts about this book?

What makes Storia so special is that we've had the privilege of collaborating with some of the most respected journalists in the industry, who contributed by offering their interpretation of the archive and the history of Stone Island, bringing its heritage to a wider audience through the pages of the book.

One of the highlights has been the book tour with Carlo Rivetti across Milan, London, Tokyo, and New York. It’s been truly rewarding to see how much our community values the vision and direction Carlo has brought to the brand over the past 40 years. What made it even more emotional was meeting members of our community who have been close to the brand for decades, all coming together to meet Carlo in person.

The book includes a showcase of Stone Island's extensive archives — do you have a favorite piece or fabric from the collection? What makes it stand out to you?

It’s almost an impossible question to answer. There are so many special pieces in the Stone Island archive, each with its own wonderful story behind it. However, the original innovation of Massimo Osti, particularly the famous TELA STELLA collection presented in the founding year of Stone Island, remains the most iconic reference for me. From the study of the technical characteristics of truck tarpaulins, it symbolizes his vision of bringing material research, innovation and functionality to apparel– something no one else had embraced in the same way before him. It is that original vision of Massimo Osti that still holds such influence today, marking the beginning of Stone Island’s journey into fabric enhancement.

The book also highlights Stone Island's impact on the global community, a focus the brand has emphasized in recent years. Have there been any moments during your interactions with the community that have particularly inspired you?

The community at Stone Island originates in Ravarino, where the brand was founded and where our research and innovation hub still exists today. We also created a beautiful film called Infinite Colours by Ken-Tonio Yamamoto, which was released last November. It tells the story of the people of Stone Island, who have brought their passion and commitment to their work, a feeling that extends to our larger community of customers.

This docu-poem film conveyed that story in a deeply emotional and powerful way. Beyond this, we also celebrate our community through cultural moments, particularly with music. Through events like our collaboration with the C2C Festival in Turin, where we host the STONE ISLAND STAGE, we’re able to empower cultural moments while engaging our community at the same time. At Milan Design Week 2025, we presented Friendly Pressure: Studio One, which was an immersive sonic experience conceived to bring the community together.

Can you recall your first experience with the brand?

I went to university in Manchester in the ‘80s, just when Stone Island was founded. I vividly remember my first encounter with the brand, both as a concept and as an item of clothing. I really appreciate it and at the same time, wearing this brand brings me a special emotion.

You’ve been with Stone Island for two years now. Has the experience aligned with your initial expectations? What aspects of the work have brought you the most satisfaction?

It feels like just yesterday that I started working for Stone Island. These two years have certainly exceeded my expectations, as I have rarely worked with a company and brand that has such strong, clear and powerful values. It is a great honour for me to act as a custodian of those values, carrying them forward for further generations to be able to experience.

What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead?

One of the things that has given me great pleasure over the past two years is connecting with our community members and weaving them into the brand's storytelling. For instance, having the chance to meet Ethan Ruan and including him in Stone Island's narrative is a perfect example of how “LAB and LIFE” come together through the individuals in our community. So for this year, I’m excited to continue building on that and welcoming even more members of our global community into our story, just as we’ve done before.

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