From Chanel to Gucci: The yachts owned by fashion’s most influential designers

Few yachts are as steeped in fashion history – or maritime myth – as Creole, the 65.3-metre three-masted schooner owned by the Gucci family. Launched by Camper & Nicholsons in 1927, she is the world’s largest wooden sailing yacht and a fixture on the Mediterranean classic circuit. When BOAT International stepped on board in 2021, Creole remained under the stewardship of Allegra and Alessandra Gucci, daughters of Maurizio Gucci, who purchased the yacht in 1983 and undertook one of the most sensitive restorations in her long and storied life.

Painstakingly returned to her original design ethos after decades of compromise, Creole is maintained as both a living piece of yachting history and a serious sailing vessel, frequently competing at events such as Monaco Classic Week. Her black hull, towering rig and unmistakable silhouette make her instantly recognisable wherever she sails. More than a superyacht, Creole is a floating heirloom – a rare example of fashion dynasty, craftsmanship and seafaring tradition bound together in one extraordinary vessel.

For the late Giorgio Armani, yachting was an extension of the same principles that defined his fashion empire: restraint, precision and timeless elegance. His 64.9-metre Codecasa yacht Maìn, delivered in 2008, was not merely owned by the Italian designer but conceived by him in its entirety – from hull form to interior detailing. Rejecting the ostentation common to large yachts, Armani specified a dark green exterior to camouflage the vessel at sea and designed interiors that prioritised calm, privacy and function over display.

Built as a personal retreat rather than a social stage, Maìn embodies Armani’s belief that true luxury lies in comfort and proportion. Natural materials, muted tones and architectural continuity create interiors that feel closer to a refined private residence than a floating hotel, while innovative features such as continuous glazing and louvred light control soften the boundary between inside and sea. The yacht followed his earlier Codecasa Mariù but marked a decisive evolution in confidence and authorship.

In his final years, Armani extended this vision beyond personal ownership, collaborating with The Italian Sea Group on a limited series of Armani-designed superyachts, including the 72-metre Admiral (The Italian Sea Group) No Rush. Together, these projects cement Armani’s reputation not only as a fashion icon, but as one of the few designers to translate a complete aesthetic philosophy seamlessly onto the water.

Few fashion designers translated their personal aesthetic to the water as unapologetically as Roberto Cavalli. Known for animal prints, high-octane glamour and provocation on the runway, the late Italian designer approached yacht ownership with the same instinct for spectacle. Over the years, Cavalli owned and designed several yachts, each reflecting a different facet of his personality.

His most famous was Aquila (originally named RC), the 40.8-metre Baglietto he used as a floating salon during the Cannes Film Festival, hosting legendary Riviera parties attended by supermodels, Hollywood stars and royalty. Earlier, Cavalli left his mark on the 49.8-metre Oceanfast Thunder, transforming her interiors into a kaleidoscopic, gold-flecked vision during a lavish refit. His final yacht, Freedom, delivered in 2018, marked a shift in mood: a stealthy, jet-black, Batman-inspired 27-metre built by Cerri Cantieri Navali for speed, privacy and family time. Together, Cavalli’s yachts form a bold maritime legacy – expressive, theatrical and unmistakably his.

Coco Chanel’s relationship with yachting was as complex and unconventional as the designer herself. Although she famously dismissed life at sea as a pastime that robbed women of independence, the ocean nonetheless shaped her aesthetic and personal life in profound ways. In the 1920s, Chanel became a fixture of Riviera yachting society through her decade-long romance with the Duke of Westminster, much of which unfolded on board his 86-metre four-masted schooner Flying Cloud. Lavish and theatrical, the yacht introduced Chanel to a world of maritime glamour that would directly influence her relaxed silhouettes, nautical stripes and the seaside elegance first honed in Deauville.

Yet Chanel ultimately chose to chart her own course. In the 1940s, she purchased Mathilde, a 37-metre steel-hulled Dutch-built yacht whose restrained proportions and refined detailing echoed her philosophy that luxury must also be comfortable. Later renamed Nadine, the yacht went on to live several dramatic lives of its own – famously under the ownership of The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort.

For Tommy Hilfiger, yachting is not merely a pastime but an extension of brand, lifestyle and creative philosophy. Hilfiger's 62-metre Feadship Flag (now sold and named Fos) was acquired in 2017 from friend and Formula One impresario Lawrence Stroll; the yacht became both a Mediterranean home and a floating manifesto for the all-American designer’s enduring aesthetic. Named after the nautical inspiration behind Hilfiger’s iconic red, white and blue logo, Flag reflects his long-standing fascination with sailing, escapism and aspirational coastal living.

Refitted with the help of Ralph Lauren creative director Chahan Minassian under Stroll's ownership, Flag blends classic Feadship craftsmanship with relaxed modern luxury: rich mahogany, crisp whites and subtle nautical motifs sit alongside contemporary art and tailored soft furnishings. Hilfiger personally oversaw details ranging from the interiors to the colour-coordinated tenders and toys, ensuring a cohesive visual identity throughout. Cruising the Riviera with family, friends and high-profile guests, Flag served as both creative retreat and social hub.

Stefano Gabbana’s 65-metre Codecasa Regina d’Italia is a yacht that sits deliberately at the intersection of couture, authorship and Italian craftsmanship. Built on the yard’s proven 65-metre platform but extensively reworked, she was conceived as a highly personal project, developed in close collaboration between Gabbana and Milan-based studio M2 Atelier. Now offered for sale, the yacht is being revealed publicly for the first time after years of private use.

Unlike many fashion-owned yachts that lean toward branding or overt spectacle, Regina d’Italia adopts a controlled, almost architectural form of expression. Her interiors are defined by a restrained but unmistakable palette of blues, dark woods and Brazilian marble, with mirrored surfaces and carefully calibrated lighting used to shape atmosphere rather than dominate it. The design language unfolds vertically through the yacht, growing progressively darker and more immersive toward the upper decks.

Bespoke details – from sculptural bronze fittings referencing Italian hand gestures to custom furniture integrated with storage – underline the project’s emphasis on craft and narrative. With features such as a full-beam owner’s suite, a dedicated gym crowned by a domed ceiling and a marble-lined infinity pool – alongside the regal black, gold and leopard print furnishings – Regina d’Italia embodies Dolce & Gabbana’s public flamboyance.

The late Valentino Garavani’s eye for proportion and polish extended naturally to life at sea. In 1988, he commissioned the 46.3-metre Picchiotti yachtT.M. Blue One, reportedly named in tribute to his parents, Teresa and Mauro. The yacht was launched into the Mediterranean social orbit with characteristic elegance, attended by longtime friend and muse Sophia Loren.

With exterior lines by Gerhard Gilgenast and Mediterranean-inspired interiors by Peter Marino, T.M. Blue One was understated rather than ostentatious, finished with a navy hull offset by a pale blue stripe. Designed to host 10 guests with a crew of nine, she reflected Valentino’s philosophy of quiet luxury – disciplined, harmonious and impeccably detailed — translating the codes of couture into a private world afloat.