Stone Island - A/W 2008/2009 - Handpainted Camouflage Field Jacket

                                             

Stone Island always took inspiration from military design, especially when it comes to jackets. The field jacket is probably the most common jacket design in Stone Island`s history. There have been plenty different variations and in the autumn/winter season 2008/2009 Stone Island released something special: the handpainted camouflage field jacket, inspired by a german army field blouse. This jackets are each painted by hand, which makes every jacket in this range unique. You can even see the brush strokes if you take a closer look. This makes the jackets standing out from usual camouflage jacket from the army shop. Not only this, you can also see a love for detail and function at the collar for example, where is a movable piece of garment to close the neck on the front. The jacket comes with the well known Raso Gommato lining, not very breathable but really warm in the colder winter days, especially together with inner removable extra liner.

These jackets came in two colours, brown (as seen above) and green, i prefer the brown version and i think the green version is harder to come by. You dont even see the brown version pop up very often, i reckon these jackets came in a limited nuber. In the last pic you can see the comparison between both jackets.

12thMan - Spring/Summer 2012 Preview

After some seasons, developing the label step by step from tees over polos to knitwear, 12thMan is finally releasing their first jackets next year and from what you already know about the label you can expect them to be pure quality to the detail, entirely made in italy and limited to 99 pieces aswell. The Nova jacket is my personal favorite, the colour looks superb and in combination with the buttons it has a certain oldschool feeling, maybe a nice quote to Massimo Ostis first CP seasons.

Reggae at the Football

Some of my readers might already know, some dont`t: Reggae music isnt`really something you connect with our beloved game this days but two of europes biggest clubs, Ajax Amsterdam and Chelsea FC, enjoy their fans with a good tune before the match. 

Chelsea (and some other british football clubs) are well known for playing the Harry J. Allstars tune "The Liberator" which hitted the number 9 in the UK single charts in 1969. A typical skinhead reggea tune from that era.

 Chelsea's claims to be first to play it are backed by the first paragraph of the liner notes for "Liquidator - The Best of the Harry J All Stars". It says: "Way back in 1969, supporters of the Chelsea football team revered players such as Bonetti, Osgood and Hollins. The boys performed under the watchful eye of manager Dave Sexton to the tune of Harry J & All Stars chartbuster, 'The Liquidator'. However, there is also evidence to suggest that it was first played at West Bromwich Albion, and copied by other, smaller clubs.(wiki)

Back in 2008 Ajax Amsterdam played a friendly against Cardiff City FC in Wales and Bob Marley`s "Three Little Birds" was played in the Stadium. The song became an instant stadium hit and a club anthem since it was first played and sung along with by Ajax supporters.

As a big fan of early reggae and northern soul this makes me really jealous, both songs are great and i would love to hear them or something like that at my local ground, but this will never happen. I think i am doomed to listen to horrible chart music and folklore during the halftime break and before the match...