Italian designer Laura Sessa once again welcomed close friends and industry leaders to her annual Love Summer party on 20 June, hosted at her home and studio in the hills of Poli, just outside Rome.
Now firmly a fixture on the yachting social calendar, the intimate gathering brought together a who's who of the superyacht world – from Peter Lürssen, Tom de Vries, Marcel Onkenhout and Till von Krause to Federico Rossi and Rob Luijendijk. Designers including Martin Francis, Tim Heywood, Mario Pedol, Maiko Kuroda, Bruno Frisoni and Hervé Van der Straeten also joined the celebrations, alongside longtime clients and friends.
Read More/In pictures: inside Laura Sessa's Love Summer partyThe aim, Sessa said, is simple: "To bring together a small group of people for a relaxed start to the summer, with no pressure to talk business. It’s a moment to exchange ideas – and to share our traditional cuisine, all homemade."
As ever, guests dined beneath olive trees in a setting styled by Sessa herself, with each table individually themed. The menu – spanning appetisers of Sicilian Caponata and Artisanal ricotta, followed by homemade lasagne, vitello tonnato and pork loin served with roast potatoes – featured regional classics with many ingredients sourced directly from the estate, while wines from Zenato and Antinori winery flowed freely throughout the night.
Sessa also noted that the studio's new collection of outdoor seating was quietly debuted during the evening, adding a design moment to the relaxed ambience.
"Creating this event was essential to show that my design approach is exactly the same one I applied to the evening itself," Sessa explained. "Quality craftsmanship expressed through simplicity, attention to detail, and a sense of personalisation – but above all, no dress code. Just the pleasure of a country-chic evening, in total freedom and relaxation."
The evening concluded with fireworks lighting up the Roman countryside – a fitting finale to a night defined by good food, good company and timeless Italian hospitality.