We caught up with the founder of 82 Archive Street, Jacob Walls, an Osti nut, collector & vintage Stone Island seller of some of the rarest jackets you’ve probably ever set your eyes on.
Our exclusive series, Jacket Fanatics, focuses on our ever growing passion for outerwear, the Osti connection and what really makes the perfect jacket. From growing up on the football terraces or clocking a ticket tout with more pockets than an entire SWAT team, our connection to the humble jacket is steeped in subculture, sportswear & state of the art fabrics. With wardrobes full of technical toggery, limited releases & military inspired gear that could probably be used in battle, we wanted to speak with the Osti nuts, the Stone Island vintage collectors & the sellers of these rare gems that only come along once in a blue moon.
To kicks things off we had a little chat with Jacob Walls, the founder of 82 Archive Street. Bringing to the table some of the very best handpicked vintage gems from Stone Island & C.P. Company, Jacob has built a loyal following of Osti nuts with exclusive editorials & one of a kind pieces you could quite easily max out your credit card on. Welcome to Jacket Fanatics.
So first of all give us some background about how you got into vintage Stone Island and where the passion really started?
I guess from early on I got into brands like Stone Island and C.P Company, my Dad and uncles would wear it and loved either the football madness or the trendy side of it. Being passed down a few bits definitely sparked the initial interest. Personally, my passions are within vintage clothing, so when I delved into the world of specifically 80s and 90s S.i and C.P, I found a whole new interest all together. The brand’s high-end vintage Italian garments last a lifetime compared to the newer pieces being produced today. Learning more and becoming fascinated with Massimo Osti’s and Paul Harvey’s innovation in fashion and sportswear fed my hunger, and the venture began.
What was the vision for 82 Archive Street and how have you managed to source some of the rarer stuff?
I wanted to create a platform where buyers or collectors could purchase some of the rarer and more special pieces that most find hard to source. A safer environment with no nonsense, as there are so many scammers, fake items, and overall snakery out there, in my experience. I know we’ve all been stung a few times. Really, I wanted a place I could provide some very hard-to-find pieces, showcase my ever-growing personal collection, and build the community around me. Since starting, I’ve spoken to and met a lot of like-minded collectors and sellers doing similar things, and collectively I believe the community is growing stronger every day.
I globally source items and individually handpick everything I find. This can be a tiring and very long process, but it’s the reason everything I collect and sell is in top condition and special in one way or another. Although it is becoming increasingly difficult to find and supply pieces as the market saturates and popularity grows, I try to do my best.
Vintage Stone Island has become massive in recent years, where do you see the scene going over the next 5 years?
I see it continuing to grow for sure, with maybe a few dips along the way but steadily gaining more popularity, especially within vintage / sustainable fashion. The scene is strong, and with some of the top dons leading the way like Arco Mayer, Louis Hols, Archive Joy, and Oliver at Too Hot to name a few, I believe it’s only going to grow further with real support here in the UK and beyond.
The great thing about Osti’s brands is that they’re globally recognised and respected, having broken into the States, which blew things up for sure. Clearly popular in Europe, with Italy flying the flag for the brand’s origins and brilliant fashion innovation, as well as Paul Harvey (head designer from 1996 to 2007), of British origin and influence. As well as massively in Japan, with their own beautiful history surrounding Massimo Osti’s archival piece, as Osti started Japanese lines, labels, and factories in the 80s and 90s. This means a lot of East Asia has insane knowledge of Massimo’s archive and their own amazing collections. This really fascinated me. I’m always sending pieces out to Japan, China, and surrounding countries as well as sourcing items from there too.
If you had to name 3 of your top pieces from your latest stock what would they be and why?
– AW1985 Stone Island Sheepskin Flight Jacket: An incredible piece, Osti’s first leather jacket (to my knowledge), and the only one I’ve ever seen in the wild or know of existing. Badge placement on the left lower wrist, weighs a ton. Craftsmanship is on another level.
– SS1984/85 Stone Island Marina “Vertical Badge” Jackets: Reigning from Marina’s first and second lines (as it came into production a few years later in ’84). Insane vertical badge placement. Marina-stripe detailing throughout, and yeah, incredibly rare and beautiful pieces.
– SS1983 Stone Island “Tela Stella” Reflective Panel Jacket: Another absolute rarity, this time coming from Stone Island’s second year of production in ’83. Badge placement on the upper left chest. Stone Island owes itself to this material process, being the first to be produced by Osti in 1982 for the brand. The details are gorgeous and way beyond its time. I have to say the 1989/90 ripstop ice camouflage material process is one of my favourites; watching the colour’s change due to the temperature is always magical. Same goes for my Ice Jacket Goose Down Puffers (with built-in balaclava face masks).
If you could get your hands on one particular Stone Island piece what would it be?
I have a few in mind but the O.G. 1982 Tela Stella Smock / Anorak would have to take the lead, Osti’s very first jacket made for Stone Island! I know “Tela Fella” has one in his extensive collection and am seriously envious! Top Bloke too… Check him out.
What do you do in your spare time when you aren’t sourcing and selling Stoney?
When I’m not sourcing S.i, I’m selling it or collecting it! Seriously though, it takes up most of my time. The journey with 82archivestreet has led me to start directing and styling more shoots, and I am working with others in the fashion and music scene in this capacity. I recently put Tiggs-Da-Author in a jacket for his headline performance at Wireless Festival, which was a serious highlight to see. I’m also being asked more to stock items from the personal collection for various shoots, and I’ve been looking into curating some bigger personal projects too.
My background is in design, and I am building my personal work and portfolio also. From art installations, lighting, and furniture design, I’m currently looking into combining my passions here by using material processes inspired by Archive S.I and CP fabric research for my own upholstery – something that could be interesting in the future.
Finally as this series is all about jackets, what are they key ingredients for the perfect piece of outerwear?
The design, style, and cut. The materials used, how the fabrics have been manipulated, how the garments have been dyed, and overall detail in construction. The more innovative the better in my opinion. All reasons why archive Stone island and CP Company items are still so relevant today, and in my opinion, steadily at the forefront of sportswear, tech-wear, and high-end fashion 40+ years later.
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