The Italian brands every owner needs on their superyacht

The long heady days of the Mediterranean season may have passed but, even if you're not whiling away an afternoon on the terrace of an Amalfi Coast hotel, there's always room for a little dolce vita wherever you are. From iconic Italian cycle and boat brands to world-famous fashion, fragrance and jewellery companies creating the products for which the country is known best, here is the essential guide to mastering effortless Italian elegance.

Riva

Is there a better expression of Italy than this lissom, glossy hull designed for pleasure? In a Riva, form is strictly related to function. If, that is, you define function in terms of frolicking with walnut brown ragazzas on the Mediterranean littoral or the Italian lakes. Just saying “Aquarama” is seductive: it sounds more like a romantic proposition than a name.

This boat may be the most decadent and evocative product ever made, a weirdly potent cocktail of Detroit in the 1950s (when consumption knew no limits) and Italy’s long moment of la dolce vita (when even saucepans and coffee machines were sexualised with lascivious shapes). With its twin 400hp American V8 engines, a Riva Aquarama was a glorious affront to nautical etiquette.

It is the ultimate consumer fantasy: a proposition that suggests the sky is wide open and blue, that summer never ends and that lust can be described in terms of cleats and varnish. By Stephen Bayley

Riva Aquariva Super, €518,000 (exc. tax), riva-yacht.com

To the cycling enthusiast the maglia rosa, Campagnolo and Colnago – with its “ace of clubs” logo – are icons one and all. Those spectacular mountain passes Passo dello Stelvio, Passo del Mortirolo and Passo di Gavia offer pain, suffering and glory in equal measure to Giro d’Italia competitors. Then there are the Italian cyclists – Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Felice Gimondi and the flawed genius of Marco Pantani are heroes in their homeland and giants of the sport.

It’s no surprise then that Italian brands are at the heart of cycling history and many of the world’s most coveted products are still lovingly created by Italian artisans. In a world dominated by global companies pumping out mass produced bikes, Italian family-owned businesses maintain a tradition of exclusivity and flair with a sense of history.

The ideal number of bikes you should own is n+1, where n equals the number you currently own. Every boat needs more than one bike. Campagnolo (pictured) will have to be the groupset on whatever you choose. Then it’s the perfect carbon race bike, the Colnago C60, for the mountains, and a silky smooth, custom-made titanium Passoni for those wonderfully long all-day rides. By Tony Harris

Colnago C60, £3,499, colnago.com; Campagnolo Super Record EPS groupset, POA, campagnolo.com; Passoni Top Genesis, POA, passoni.it

To the uninitiated the name Billionaire Italian Couture may seem ostentatious, but delve deeper and you’ll see just how well founder Flavio Briatore understands the lifestyle of today’s international jet set.

The Formula One mogul launched the brand in 2005 and it offers chic casualwear that is perfect for stepping off a long flight (private jet, of course) or on to a yacht for the weekend. The latest collection comprises impeccable tailoring with bold, quintessentially Italian stylistic touches – from ornate embroidery to eye-catching patterns. At the heart of the range is also a dedication to practicality. Its lambskin bomber, with micro-hole detailing cut out with a laser, is the perfect example of the combination of fashion and function. “Comfort and lightness are paramount for the Billionaire man,” explains the brand’s creative director Michael Ködel. By Eleanor Pryor

Vist billionairecouture.com

If you’re looking for the unique, alluring and utterly original then Giampiero Bodino is the jeweller to call. Cutting his teeth at Bulgari and then as the art director of the Richemont Group, with brands including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, luxury is second nature to the talented Italian – as is evident in every hand-crafted sea-inspired jewel from his eponymous brand.

Based on one-off commissions and themed collections centred around Bodino’s personal inspirations, his pieces are, in his own words, “based on classical elements but with a modern twist”. Take, for example, Bodino’s Tesori del Mare (Treasures of the Sea) collection, inspired by his life on the Ligurian and Adriatic coasts. Brilliant aquamarines, opaque red corals and deep black Tahitian pearls come together in a riot of colours on pieces forming everything from a coral reef to a seahorse.

For those whose nautical pleasures lie above, rather than below, the ocean’s surface the Rosa dei Venti (Wind Rose) collection is perfect. Aesthetically somewhere between medieval and art deco in style, pink gold bracelets, chokers and rings are studded with a rainbow of sapphires, amethysts and diamonds in a geometric pattern based on a ship’s compass. By Zoe Dickens

Tesori del Mare and Rosa dei Venti collections, all POA, giampierobodino.com

If you talk to Giuseppe Zanotti about decks, he won’t think first of boats but of DJing. The designer, who comes from San Mauro Pascoli, a small town near Rimini famous for shoe manufacturing, was a keen DJ in the 1980s.

But a passion for art, design and fashion, combined with the craft history of his native town, led him into a career as a women’s shoe designer. Zanotti worked first for small artisanal shoemakers by day, while still spinning records at night, before graduating to the likes of Thierry Mugler, Missoni, Fendi, Roberto Cavalli and Valentino. He has amassed many fans in the world of entertainment. Today that means men, too. Any onboard journey will surely be enhanced by Zanotti’s Kriss high-top trainers for him. Check out his bags, accessories, jewellery and clothing for more of the Zanotti spirit. And if you ask nicely, he might even come and DJ at your next boat party. By Peter Howarth

The Kriss high-top sneakers, from £505, giuseppezanottidesign.com

When it comes to having the best new supercar to complement your yacht, tradition dictates that they should come from Italy. Since the dawn of the playboy era, Maseratis and Ferraris have been synonymous with the Riviera lifestyle thanks to their looks, their statement-making presence and their suitably high price tags. And what’s more, they’re now reliable and don’t rust.

1. For collecting guests from the airport – you’ll need a Maserati Levante (pictured), the new SUV from the famous Trident marque. Choose from petrol or diesel, and load up on extras such as a leather and silk interior by Ermenegildo Zegna. With four-wheel drive and up to 425hp on tap, it will cross continents and pull a hefty tender up the steepest of slipways.
2. For heading to the hills after docking – you’ll need Ferrari’s somewhat brilliant California T. Its gorgeous drop-top looks and 560hp V8 engine belie a surprisingly practical supercar – with a top speed of 190mph. The chassis is sharp, too, making it ideal for climbing from sea to mountain.
3. For hitting the town in Porto Cervo – you’ll need a “baby” Fiat. Go for a souped-up version of the modern-day 500 (such as the TAG Heuer-Abarth limited edition designed by Lapo Elkann) or take the vintage route with a Fiat 600 Jolly. Designed by Ghia, the doorless Jolly’s canvas top and wicker seats make it the cutest car in the marina. Good models can command £60,000. By Simon de Burton

Maserati Levante, from £54,000, maserati.co.uk; Ferrari California T, from £153,345, ferrari.com; Abarth 595C Competizione, from £19,890, abarthcars.co.uk

While cars have their benefits, nothing goes quite so well with a superyacht, a sun-soaked cruise and an adventurous spirit as a motorcycle or scooter, to be kept on board for use in port. And Italians have always made the most stylish ones in sizes small and large. In its post-war heyday, Italy was home to dozens of motorcycle manufacturers, but only a handful remain.

1. For maximum street cred – you’ll need Ducati’s ultra-cool Scrambler, a 21st century take on its classic 1960s trail bike. The new one features an 800cc L-Twin engine and can be had in Icon, Urban Enduro, Classic and Full Throttle guises, depending on the look you like.
2. For a cruise on the highway – you’ll need the latest version of Moto Guzzi’s California tourer. With a 1400cc, V-Twin engine, built-in panniers, comfy footboards and retro-looking Perspex screen to deflect the wind, the Cali dates back to 1971, when it was designed in collaboration with the LAPD as a patrol bike.
3. For nipping to the shops – you’ll need a Vespa (just like Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn did in Roman Holiday, above). Launched in 1946, the Vespa (so called because of its narrow-waisted, wasp-like appearance) has sold in the millions. The latest models have quiet, four-stroke engines, electric starters and fuel injection. Choose from four versions and many more colours. By Simon de Burton

Ducati Scrambler Classic, from £8,395, scramblerducati.com; Moto Guzzi California 1400 SE, £16,635, uk.motoguzzi.it; Vespa GTS Super 300 ABS, £4,693, uk.vespa.com

When it comes to investing in superyacht-worthy jewels for the Med season look no further than three of Italy’s finest designers. From creating masterpieces for noble families to collaborations with stars including Sophia Loren, Brad Pitt and Isabella Rossellini, Damiani has been one of Italy’s most lauded fine jewellery brands for nine decades. For the finest contemporary jewels for cocktail hour, look to its Animalia collection, where a feminine stingray picked out in white diamonds, lavender sapphires and pink rhodolite transforms from brooch to bracelet via a cuff of vivid strawberry-hued diamonds.

Helmed by yacht owner Carlo Traglio and priding itself on offering sculptural pieces in rich hues, it is perhaps unsurprising that the ocean provides endless inspiration for Vhernier. Its range of charming rock crystal brooches alone invites you to choose from vibrant shells decorated with diamonds and mother of pearl, gliding turtles in onyx and lapis or a sea-green crab with diamond encrusted claws.

A stalwart of the Milanese jewellery industry since 1919, the centrepiece of many of Buccellati’s stand-out designs – pearls – comes directly from the oceans. The Minuetto Set celebrates these marine jewels in their purest form with 21 white baroque pearls taking pride of place – a guaranteed family heirloom. By Zoe Dickens

Stingray brooch/bracelet, POA, damiani.com; Conchiglia, Nautilus, Granchio crab, Tartaruga turtle brooch, POA, vhernier.it; Minuetto necklace, earrings, POA, buccellati.com

Only this famously creative Italian jeweller could have seen the potential for creating a wristwatch in the form of a snake. But when the first Serpenti watch appeared in the 1940s, Bulgari’s genius quickly became apparent. Further Serpenti products followed, such as rings, belts and bracelets – with a one-off example of the latter famously being worn by Elizabeth Taylor on the set of the epic 1963 movie Cleopatra. But the Serpenti in its horological form is what has most captured the imagination and the legend lives on with the launch of four new models. The highlight is the Serpenti Incantati Skeleton Tourbillon, a high jewellery watch available in either a pink gold case set with rubellites or a white gold case set with diamonds. The snake imagery is completed on the most valuable examples by a coiling, gem-set bracelet in matching precious metal.

Next comes the Serpenti jewellery, with mother-of-pearl, coral, onyx and turquoise combined with diamonds and pink gold, while the new Serpenti Tubogas is inspired by a celebrated Bulgari watch of the 1970s. It comes in a single coil or extravagant five-coil bracelet made from steel, or steel and gold. Perhaps the most practical and wearable of all the new Serpenti watches is the Spiga, which has a coiling bracelet made from high-tech ceramic, a material that is scratchproof, salt resistant and, just like a real snake, always cool to the touch – making it just about perfect for life on a sun-drenched superyacht. By Simon de Burton

Serpenti Secret watch, POA, bulgari.com