From catwalk to bulwark — the designers making waves in yacht interiors
The high-end fashion designers turning their talents to yacht building. By Stewart Campbell
Superyacht design used to be a closed shop, the discipline of the disciples of Jon Bannenberg. Before him, yachts were drawn by naval architects and conformed to a classic style. Bannenberg almost singlehandedly rewrote the rulebook, dragging large yacht styling into the modern era.
For a generation, then, not much changed, with a small cohort of designers dictating the “look” of the superyacht fleet. But during the past few decades the increased number of yachts hitting the water coupled with an expanding demographic of buyers has lured new names into the business. Big names.
This year in a giant shed in Carrara, on the Tuscan coast, Giorgio Armani took the stage to introduce a new multimillion-euro superyacht designed by his own hand. Some 236ft long and due for delivery in 2024, the yacht combines “two of my greatest passions”, Armani said, “the sea and design”.
It is one of two vessels under construction by the Italian Sea Group in collaboration with Armani, and both will bear his embossed signature. The first has a geometric exterior, full-height windows, an observation lounge and a water-level “beach club” that are, as you would expect, extremely smart. But it’s the interiors where Armani has really let loose: marble floors, gold accents and dark wood abound. “I have extended my idea of furnishing and decor to the nautical world,” he said, “in which — just as in fashion — aesthetics and functionality come together in a natural and elegant style. This highly stimulating project has allowed me to create customised spaces with Armani/Casa — like made-to-measure clothing — with the same craftsmanship applied to the choice of materials, details and production.”
This year, this fusion of fashion and yacht building was put on display at a party for 650 guests, where the Armani superyacht served as a backdrop. Models showed off his spring/summer collection while VIPs dined on creations from the three-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio restaurant.
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Fashion leaders have had their eyes on the superyacht space for a while. Tommy Hilfiger owns a 203ft Feadship yacht called Flag, whose interior is styled in his brand’s signature colours; Roberto Cavalli’s Batman-inspired yacht is called Freedom and has a leopard-print bedroom; Stefano Gabbana took delivery of a 213ft vessel, Regina d’Italia, in 2019.
Armani already owns a 213ft yacht called Main, which he designed from the hull to the interiors, “putting in everything I consider important at sea and at the same time introducing a concept of the home”, he said. “So I designed not only things like the sunbathing and dining areas, but also the parts where people really live.” The challenge, as in fashion, “is to find the right balance of form and function while pursuing an idea of beauty”.
A little way down the coast in Livorno, the Azimut Benetti Group has found considerable success importing the residential design skills of firms such as Bonetti/Kozerski architecture, based in New York. The latest range by the British company Pearl Yachts, meanwhile, is designed by Kelly Hoppen. And the boat that swept the board at this year’s World Superyacht Awards, the 247ft Kensho, was the first yacht project for both the Parisian studio Jouin Manku and the German exterior design specialists Archineers.berlin.
The old guard may wince when one of these new names walks through the door — the learning curve is vertiginous when you consider the mountain of regulations to be met, as well as the weight restrictions, fire safety, crew demands and the simple fact that the sea is the most corrosive environment on earth. But the lure of creating a superyacht appears to be difficult to resist.
It’s not only the prices that attract them. Adding a yacht to your portfolio opens up the world of planes, helicopters and even submarines, putting you in the eyeline of the world’s best-paying clientele and providing enough work to keep a studio busy for many years.
Bannenberg would be thrilled. No more closed shop — the superyacht boutique is finally open for business.
