Nation

Throughout history, unusual materials have resulted in much fun -- synthetic rubber (Silly Putty) entertains millions of children, while blue-green mold (penicillin) ensures the survival of Spring Break. Get high-tech jackets made from the uncommon, from Stone Island.

Stone was born when Italian designer Massimo Osti dye tested a nylon usually used for truck tarps, and realized it could be used to beef up stylish clothing that'd lead truckers to accuse you of being French. Osti then began tinkering with other textiles previously unknown to the fashion game, like monofilament mesh (derived from water-filtering technology), and nylon vacuum-coated with microscopic stainless steel films, used to protect aircraft computers from moisture/Ted Striker's "drinking problem". The experimentation plays out in this spring jackets, like the 4933, a four-pocket military job (made of resined nylon); the light bomberish 4D43 (in metal-treated nylon); and the classic-cut 4E23 in "Antiqued Reflective" fabric, whose thousands of glass microspheres give it such a distinctive sheen, you'd think it starred alongside Emilio Estevez in an epic movie about garbagemen.

On the less-technical side, Stone does buttondowns, crewnecks, hoodies, sweaters, denim, and even shoes, plus a line of suits -- so fetching, you could sit at the bar playing with Silly Putty and still lure someone into giving you the clap.