Hot off the heels of their first ever runway show during Milan Men’s Fashion Week, Stone Island have released a short film, The Compass Inside, by director/cultural documenter Jeremy Elkin and featuring members of the Stone Island global community, including director Spike Lee, footballer João Felix, actor Jodie Turner-Smith and designer Germans Ermičs, shot at fifteen locations around the world.

For the film, Elkin travelled to the Emilia-Romagna district of Italy to capture Stone Island’s roots in the famous industrial design of the area, where it bases its experimentation and research. Elsewhere in the film, director Spike Lee considers the idea of community in Brooklyn, Jodie Turner-Smith discusses the impact of Jamaica on British life as she walks around Brixton and photographer Peter Sutherland and skateboarder Sage Elsesser share a moment by the water at Inwood Hill Park, New York. All of them wearing Stone Island throughout.

We caught up with the film’s director Jeremy Elkin to find out what Stone Island means to him.

“…it doesn’t get any more real than Jodie walking through a Brixton market eating street food.”

What is your personal history with Stone Island?
“I would see the badge around growing up but never quite dug into the brand or history until Supreme began working with the Rivetti’s years later.”

Throughout the film, members of the Stone Island global community give their interpretation of what community means to them, you’ve documented the worlds of hip-hop and skateboarding amongst others, how does community empower and encourage people in these scenes?
“Hip-hop is a great reference. There’s nothing like hearing the interplay between a few MCs on a track.

Community is a core and necessary element, crucial to the evolution of any subculture or like-minded group of individuals… which in turn can become family members. That’s what happens when the energy works. There’s this sort of narrative that occurs around brands, celebrities, artists, etc, these are just labels that we give to people, or groups of people. It’s important to recognise everyone who’s out there making, but sometimes a title can diminish importance.”

You filmed in fifteen different locations, does any one place stand out for you? Perhaps somewhere you hadn’t been before?
“I think each location has its strength. I tried to pair talent with their natural habitats. I was quite sick in London, but luckily I recovered by the time we were with Jodie [Turner-Smith]. She’s such a force. Authenticity is often talked about with these sorts of projects – it doesn’t get any more real than Jodie walking through a Brixton market eating street food.”

You were able to film inside the Stone Island factory in Italy, what was it like getting to see all these technical garments being made before your eyes?
“In terms of brand factories, I’ve never experienced anything like Ravarino [where the factory is]. There’s a passion to the craft that’s evident the minute you enter the spaces. The machinery and techniques are beautiful. I love seeing the industrialism amongst the lush green fields. There’s a magic in the soil and in the air. Everyone we’ve brought over there has felt it.”

The most important question of all: are you a badge on or badge off person?
“Badge on the pants works. I prefer no logos up top, unless they blend in with the colour of the garment.”