A stent has a surface with an irregular coating formed on that surface. The irregular coating provides coating islands, especially coating islands that are substantially round. In some embodiments, the coating islands are arranged at a greater spacing in regions involving a greater degree of local stretching of the stent surface upon stretching of the stent than in regions involving a lesser degree of local stretching of the stent surface. In other embodiments, the coating islands are smaller in regions involving a greater degree of local stretching of the stent surface upon stretching of the stent than in regions involving a lesser degree of local stretching of the stent surface.