Carlo Rivetti Explains the NikeLab x Stone Island Windrunner

September 9, 2016

Stone Island and NikeLab reprise their FW15 partnership, digging into the Nike archives to create a collaborative Windrunner jacket.

As with any product to bear the easily recognizable Stone Island badge, the Windrunner jacket is crafted from a selection of technically superior textiles; a 7-denier nylon coated with a wind and water-resistant membrane called Hyper Lite Membrana 2L TC, as well as Membrana 3L TC nylon, which is coated for weather protection and lined with ultra-lightweight fabric. The result is a lofted-up version of the classic Nike Windrunner, available in a range of six colorways.

For the launch of the exclusive jacket, we sat down with Stone Island head Carlo Rivetti in Milan to find out more about the collaboration.

First, what makes the Stone Island x NikeLab Windrunner special?

As usual we put together different materials, and we integrated a performing membrane. The challenge is garment-dying, and the temperature, meaning we have to work with a high temperature, which means the lamination can melt. You can work with a lower temperature, but you will not achieve these bright colours, so it was a very long experimentation. This was of the most important problems. The other one is to obtain a perfect quality, in terms of sizing. In garment dying the culture is slightly different, but working with a company like Nike, we learn a lot of things. Its not easy at all, because the two different types of dying the fabric can react in different ways. So it was really a long process, but we learned a lot, My people in Crevalcore, Italian company were so proud to have an opportunity to work with these people in Beaverton. Two different cultures coming together and growing together.

When you are in love with product and you deal with product, you need to learn something different and to see all different aspects. Nike is very big so it has to standardize everything. We are a chemistry lab we have that approach and they were amazed. It was really interesting both parties.

In terms of Stone Island’s famous materials, do you have any that you didn’t release or were not successful?

Not successful? Four years ago we did an exhibition for the 30 year anniversary of Stone Island in Florence. We did the show in a train station in Florence. If we showed all the research that we could not achieve, we would need two train stations. What is interesting is that we never gave up. We always try to have something that was not possible 30 years ago. Now with new technology – new machines, new types of colors – we can obtain these. In the big of our minds, we always remember the the research we have done, successful or non-successful. We always try maintain a new evolution.

The person who wears Stone Island, do you think that’s a person who wears Nike too?

Yes! As I told you before, not everyone likes the idea of a collaboration between Nike and Stone Island, but I think most of the people, especially in the last five years we were able to talk to the younger generation and I think that this type of collaboration could help. We are not a very globally famous brand like Nike, we are still a niche brand. This type of operation in my opinion can help to talk to a new generation and to people who usually don’t know us.

What are some of your favorite Nike shoes to wear?

The Nike Free Run series, but I remove the laces. They are so comfortable without the laces. They are really comfortable. But there is one problem one major big problem, once you wear them, you can’t go back (laughs).

Do you have any favorite Nike collaborations?

I like ACRONYM, Errolson Hugh is a close friend, and I think he really made a fantastic project with Nike.

I want to ask you about the Italian fashion scene, obviously Stone Island is different to any Italian brand, How do you feel about the Italian heritage of fashion like Gucci or Prada.

Well about fashion, I have no idea, I think Stone Island is much more close to industrial design. What I would like to say, I came back yesterday from Sicily I spent three days in Syracuse. We live in the best country in the world, it is easy to make beautiful things because we live surrounded by beauty.

Do you have any favorite Italian fashion houses?

No.

Do you think Nike fans might be able to discover Stone Island’s story through this collaboration?

Yes! For sure, and I think its very positive. We have a lot of stories to tell. If we talk to people we will find someone ready to listen to our story.