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Robert Triefus has been appointed as CEO of Stone Island, parent company Moncler Group said on Thursday during its quarterly earnings announcement. Triefus most recently served as the CEO of Gucci Vault, overlooking the brand’s metaverse and gaming division, but made a surprise departure last month.

Triefus will join Stone Island on 1 June, reporting to the board of directors of Sportswear Company, which is the company that develops, produces and distributes Stone Island. The Sportswear Company board is chaired by Carlo Rivetti.

“After a first phase during which the company has taken direct control of its most important markets while developing a strong direct-to-consumer culture, Robert will now be instrumental in driving the strategic development and resonance of the Stone Island brand worldwide, always capitalising on its unique roots,” said Remo Ruffini, chairman and CEO of Moncler Group.

Stone Island is best known for its signature compass badge, which buttons onto the upper sleeve of the left arm of its products. It is particularly popular with young men and football culture in the UK, and rapper Drake is also regularly seen wearing the brand.

Will Triefus bring his Web3 experience to the fore at Stone Island, which has yet to experiment with the technology? During Triefus’s tenure, Gucci has been credited as an early adopter of Web3 and the metaverse, starting with early appearances in a range of gaming worlds and early use of augmented reality try-on. Its Gucci Garden pop-up in Roblox in 2021 set a precedent for the industry, and it was the first luxury brand to release an NFT in May 2021. The company quickly developed a team and structure to oversee these innovations, culminating in the separate business unit of Gucci Vault and Metaverse Ventures in September 2021, which was spearheaded by then creative director Alessandro Michele. 

Triefus began leading the division in November 2022, succeeding Nicolas Oudinot. Treifus had been at Gucci for almost two decades, joining in 2008 as worldwide marketing and communications director, before becoming EVP chief marketing officer in 2012, EVP brand and customer engagement in 2018 and senior executive vice president for corporate and brand strategy in 2022.

“I am delighted that Robert will be joining the Stone Island family,” said Rivetti in a statement. “I am convinced that his outstanding industry experience and deep knowledge of brand strategy, combined with the valuable contribution of the Stone Island team, will enable the brand to achieve its full potential.”

With additional reporting by Ezreen Benissan

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