Translated by
Nicola Mira
Published
November 28, 2024
Italian luxury sportswear brand Stone Island has opened the doors of its headquarters in Ravarino, near Modena, for the filming of Ken-Tonio Yamamoto’s ‘Infinite Colours’ documentary. The community of workers at Stone Island, now owned by the Moncler group, is the focus of the Japanese director’s film, released on the sportswear brand’s YouTube channel on November 25.
The documentary tells the Stone Island story through the people who make its garments. The workers, and their key contribution to shaping the manufacturing process, are the real protagonists of the film, which Yamamoto has labelled a ‘docupoem’, a hybrid mix of documentary narrative with elements of visual and descriptive poetry.
Yamamoto has been collaborating with Stone Island for over 15 years, during which he has gained an in-depth knowledge of the brand’s values and manufacturing methods. “In my frequent visits to Ravarino,” said Yamamoto, “I kept meeting these people, and had the chance to listen to their amazing stories. So I had the idea of making a film telling the Stone Island story through their eyes, from within the company.”
‘Infinite Colours’ opens with a series of night sequences at the Stone Island factory, coming to life at dawn as the first workers arrive. The camera follows them in their daily activities: selecting the materials, fashioning the garments, dyeing and washing them, and managing the brand’s archive.
Yamamoto has added a series of pictures to the story, highlighting the colours and materials used for some of Stone Island’s signature items: from the very first product, Tela Stella SS ‘082, to the jackets Pure Metal Shell – Silver AW ‘999-‘000 and Pure Metal Shell – Bronze AW ‘999-‘000, to the Kevlar Jacket AW ‘000-‘001.
“Stone Island is all about infinite colours—not just the colours of its garments, but the endless creativity behind them. The title… is a nod to this approach, a way of thinking about possibilities and opportunities, brought to life by a community of people who turn bold visions into reality,” said Yamamoto.
‘Infinite Colours’ has been screened at Screen on the Green in London, at the Cinema Teatro Verdi in Crevalcore, Italy, and the Cinema Mexico in Milan. A preview was screened at Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles in March, in parallel with the ‘Selected Works ’982 – ’024’ exhibition and the Frieze Los Angeles art show.
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