Stone Island and Charlie Hunnam in the SS26 Denim Research collection
That one specific scene from Green Street Hooligans is probably burned into all of our minds. Grey concrete London streets and Pete Dunham leading his crew with a confident, almost military stride. His signature wasn’t just charisma, but also that one detail on his left arm – the compass badge. Charlie Hunnam didn’t have to say a single word back then for everyone to know exactly what world his character came from. That one detail, worn proudly on the sleeve, was enough to command more respect than the loudest chant echoing through the concrete stands of the old Boleyn Ground.
Today, more than two decades later, the story comes full circle with a strong dose of nostalgia. Hunnam is once again wearing pieces with the legendary badge, but this time the stakes are different. The British actor has become the main face of the latest Stone Island SS26 Denim Research campaign.
Photo: x.com / @stoneisland
From concrete terraces to the fashion spotlight
Before diving into the collection itself, you need to understand the weight behind this phenomenon. The brand from Modena is one of those rare cases in fashion that escaped its creators and started living its own life on the streets. It wasn’t Milan runways that built its legacy, but European away trips of British football fans in the 80s and 90s. They didn’t just bring back match memories from Italy or France – they brought back clothing trophies. Club scarves were pushed aside, replaced by exclusive, innovative and seriously expensive sportswear from the continent. Clothing became a tool of dominance and a form of silent status competition on the terraces. The rarer your jacket, the more respect you got. That’s when the Stone Island badge became the Holy Grail, Liam and Noel Gallagher from Oasis only cemented its status, pairing heavy-duty parkas with classic adidas Samba trainers.
Bringing Charlie Hunnam into the campaign is a perfect nod to the terrace culture and a powerful tribute to the subculture that pushed the brand to the top.
Photo: Green Street Hooligans / The Graduate Store
Massimo Osti and the material revolution
None of this came by accident. It all started in 1982 in the mind of Massimo Osti – a visionary and true fabric alchemist. He didn’t design clothes in the traditional sense. He experimented like he was working in a secret lab.
The first Stone Island collections were made from heavy tarpaulins used to cover trucks, then subjected to aggressive dyeing, washing and softening processes. The result was raw, almost industrial clothing enhanced with innovative dyeing techniques and materials reacting to temperature changes.
Denim, now leading the SS26 collection, isn’t new here. It was introduced back in 1984 and later perfected by creative director Paul Harvey. That uncompromising, research-driven approach is what made the Modena brand so desirable. Durable, innovative and decades ahead of its time – exactly what terrace culture needed.
Photo: stoneisland.com
Japanese craftsmanship at its peak
Today the brand operates on a different level, now part of Moncler’s luxury portfolio. Has it lost its street edge? The Stone Island SS26 Denim Research collection proves otherwise.
Enter Japanese raw denim, globally recognised as the peak of traditional craftsmanship. But instead of playing it safe, the designers combined this heavy material with ultra-light nylon fibres.
Technical names like Dense Oxford Nylon-TC or Hollow Fibre Nylon Indigo-TC sound complex, but the result is next level. Thanks to enzyme treatments and advanced processes, heavy denim becomes incredibly soft, light and fluid in movement. It looks tough but feels like a second skin. This blend of tradition and technology is the core of the brand’s DNA – and proof it still leads the game.
Photo: x.com / @Complex
A tribute to the terraces – back to the roots
Seeing Charlie Hunnam in these detailed, engineered pieces hits every fan of casual culture right in the chest. Alongside him, the campaign also features Latin Grammy winner Feid, showing the global reach of the brand. But for us, it’s still Pete Dunham’s face that carries the real weight.
This is more than just a campaign. It’s proof you can reach the top of the fashion world without cutting ties with your roots. Stone Island still respects the terrace DNA it was built on.
Seeing Hunnam again with the iconic badge on his sleeve brings back that same feeling. The materials may have evolved, but one thing hasn’t changed – the legend is alive and still setting the direction.
