Boat of the Week: Inside Giorgio Armani’s New Rule-Breaking 236-Foot Superyacht
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Fashion designers and superyachts make a pretty pairing. Roberto Cavalli’s snakeskin-covered Freedom and Diane von Furstenberg’s 305-foot rigged schooner are two examples of what happens when haute couture meets the high seas.
For Giorgio Armani’s third superyacht, a 236-foot Admiral, the Milanese designer has stepped from catwalk to dockwalk to give the boat’s design his signature tailored appeal.
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To date, Armani has largely cruised the Mediterranean enjoying its hidden bays and beauty. Now it seems his sights are set farther afield in harsher climates. The yacht, known only as Project Metamorphosis, has an ice-classed hull, a transatlantic, 6,000-nautical mile range and a touch-and-go helipad for exploring away from the mothership.
Armani’s first yacht was a 164-foot Codecasa called Mariù—named after his mother—and delivered in 2003. Overseeing the exterior design, Armani chose a charcoal-gray hull and gave the yacht matte, stainless-steel fittings to differentiate it from the flashy white boats dotted in the Mediterranean ports.
Five years later, he went bigger with a second Codecasa, the 213-foot Maìn—named after his mother’s childhood nickname—which was delivered in 2008. He painted the entire exterior a dark shade of green to camouflage his presence at sea. He also focused on the onboard experience by introducing more sunbathing and dining areas to make it “feel like a house.”
Armani also requested the windows run in a continuous line along the boat to give large panoramic views, almost as though the boat had no walls.
For his third yacht, due to deliver in September 2024, Armani has gone bigger still, but has kept the build in Italy at Admiral’s Marina di Carrara facilities. “Armani is synonymous with timeless elegance and sophistication,” said Giovanni Costantino, CEO and founder of The Italian Sea Group, in a statement. “Project Metamorphosis, which combines technology and excellence in design with the distinctive features of Armani, will give us great satisfaction.”
The maestro of Italian fashion is exerting even more influence over the design of this custom five-decked yacht. His stipulations include flush exterior decks with no visible steps to ensure the yacht’s clean lines remain uninterrupted. There is a 1,000-sq. ft. platform at the stern for hosting parties and entertaining guests.
In keeping with his previous builds, Armani mandated a wealth of hidden details to give the yacht an understated beauty, including inconspicuous cap rails, hidden lighting and a lot of glass. The light-filled interior is defined by hand-crafted finishes, earthy-toned linens and loose furniture by Armani/Casa.
“Project Metamorphosis pairs lots of exterior space with amazing interior volume, but most noteworthy is the yacht’s proximity to the sea,” Michel Chryssicopoulos, global managing partner at IYC, which has project managed the entire build, told Robb Report. “The large platform aft can be used as a bathing area for relaxation, but also accommodates large groups for outdoor dining and starlit parties.”
The sea-level beach club is where guests will enjoy waterside relaxation. On the main deck aft, there are multiple lounge areas, some covered and others open to the elements. Onboard amenities include a cinema and dedicated games area on the bridge deck, a jacuzzi and firepit on the sun deck and multiple outdoor dining areas. There is a gym, a spa with sauna, steam shower and treatment rooms, and discreet meeting rooms for when Armani is conducting business at sea.
The owner’s deck is a personal sanctuary where Armani can retreat for some quiet time. It enjoys an owner’s suite, dining area, bar and lounge. It leads directly to a counter-current swimming pool for fitness workouts, a sunbathing area and intimate nooks for morning coffee or sundowner cocktails. There are six guest suites on the main deck and accommodations for a crew of 20.
“An owner’s deck of this size is rarely found on private superyachts and draws on Armani’s personal experience of owning a vessel,” says Costantino. “It allows for a private escape within a floating oasis—the epitome of the yachting lifestyle.”
Armani presented the interior of Project Metamorphosis alongside his 2023 spring/summer men’s and women’s fashion collections recently at Milan Fashion Week. “The sea and design are two of my greatest passions,” he said. “With this new collaboration, I have extended my idea of furnishing and decor to the nautical world, in which—just as in fashion—aesthetics and functionality come together in a natural and elegant style.”
Click here to see more images of Project Metamorphosis.
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