Stone Island presented Prototype Research_Series 09 at Milan Fashion Week January 17, 2026, marking the first time in the brand’s history that knitwear serves as the foundation for its experimental limited edition series. The project introduces air-blown lamination technology to garment construction, applying a waterproof and breathable membrane to a reversible cotton chenille hooded cardigan through a three-dimensional bonding process that represents the first application of its kind on a garment.
The series comprises 100 pieces, each produced in a different color from a palette of 100 hues ranging from vibrant to muted tones and mélange shades. The manufacturing process positions each finished chenille cardigan on an inflatable mannequin with an HDry membrane placed directly beneath the garment, then inflates the mannequin with hot air to achieve adhesion between the membrane and knit layer. The membrane’s extreme thinness allows the knit construction elements, color, and texture to remain fully visible while retaining the three-dimensional character of the chenille yarn.
The unique bonding process creates slight surface irregularities as the membrane adheres to the knit, contributing to the singularity of each garment. Zippered pockets appear on the laminate side while kangaroo pockets feature on the knit side, with each zipper opening cut by hand following the membrane’s application.
Ken-Tonio Yamamoto designed an installation for the series presentation that draws structural inspiration from circular knitting machines, deconstructing and reconfiguring industrial components into what the brand terms “the Apparatus.” Unspooled threads intersect above a circular pedestal before entering the installation in their primary form, while inflatable elements reference the three-dimensional lamination process. The 100 garments emerge from the machine displayed in three concentric color-organized rows, accompanied by a custom audio installation created by Joseph Williams.
The installation opened to the public on January 18 at Stone Island Tortona, via Tortona 31 in Milan. Following the presentation, the series was available for purchase in select Stone Island stores at €1,000 per garment.
Stone Island launched the Prototype Research_Series in 2016 as limited editions featuring garments in fabrics and treatments born from research and experimentation processes not yet industrialized. Previous series have explored techniques including lasering on liquid reflective base, garment-dyed Dyneema, extreme compacting processes, manual flocking on nylon metal grid, copper nanotechnology, dévoré with Kevlar core, liquid crystal heat reactive materials, and multi-axial textile construction borrowed from the automotive sector.
