Sanlorenzo and the Art of Bespoke Yacht Design

Lovers of the finer things in life understand that the journey is just as important as the destination. And so it is in the rarefied world of superyachts, where the processes of commissioning, designing, planning and specifying your own bespoke vessel can take the best part of four years, depending on scale and ambition. For many fortunate owners, that journey begins right here, in a prime but modestly sized corner showroom on London’s Park Lane. 

Located in the heart of Mayfair, the UK representative of Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo is discreet yet perfectly placed. Big windows offer a view of the relentless Park Lane traffic, with Hyde Park beyond; for passers-by, the spot subtly embeds the Sanlorenzo name into the public consciousness. More importantly, those already in the know are just a few minutes away, amid the businesses, hotels, homes and family offices of Mayfair. This particular spot was once McLaren’s only showroom, housing a solitary example of  the original hypercar, the F1. Chassis 065  spent many years on display here before the showroom closed its doors in 2004,  and this most original example of the 106  cars was sold for £2.5m. 

But we digress, although not necessarily to realms unfamiliar to the new generation of visitors to 61 Park Lane. The art of the superyacht — from initial approach to launch and maiden voyage — sets a high-water mark for the relationship between client and manufacturer in the luxury sphere. This is a deeply personal journey. Overseeing Sanlorenzo Yachts UK and guiding the first part of that voyage is Nick Hatfield. With two decades of industry experience, Hatfield was appointed MD in January 2025, having been instrumental in bringing the brand to the UK in 2020 and growing its presence over the ensuing years. The new showroom followed in April 2026. Before that, the company’s  UK presence was focused on its showroom located on the south coast at Swanwick Marina, on the River Hamble.

“This space was always in the planning from day one,” Hatfield tells SPHERE. “It was just a matter of finding the right location. It’s good we waited — this space is perfect in every respect.” Sanlorenzo UK serves as an essential bridge to the shipyard, with its HQ and five shipyards in Italy. It also unlocks the world of chartering and brokerage, all handled here. For those looking to dip their toes into the world of yacht chartering, Hatfield and his team are on hand to talk through all the options. For existing owners, the Park Lane space is a convenient place to check in with the UK team and shipyard, whether to discuss seasonal plans, get advice on moorings and anchorages or scheduled maintenance. And then there are those clients who are looking to take the first step towards ownership. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 61 Park Lane gets a fair share of walk-ins. “There are more than I ever thought there would be,” Hatfield admits. “We’ve had quite an array of people walk in since we opened, including clients who live nearby. It’s a perfect space to sit down, talk through things, share a coffee and learn a bit more about each other.” Relationship building is at the core of everything Sanlorenzo does, right from the shipyard’s earliest days. 

Sanlorenzo was founded in 1958 by Gianfranco Cecchi and Giuliano Pecchia in Limite sull’Arno, a Tuscan town west of Florence. In 1972, Giovanni Jannetti took ownership, moving the company west to Viareggio. As its technical prowess increased, especially in the art of GRP hulls, Sanlorenzo expanded further, moving to a shipyard in Ameglia and then opening up a second facility back in Viareggio. A further location, the Sanlorenzo Superyacht shipyard in La Spezia, opened in 2016. Since 2005, the company has been owned and overseen by Massimo Perotti.

Visiting these Italian facilities is very much  a rite of passage for every Sanlorenzo owner, something that Hatfield is well placed to facilitate. “Our yachts are mainly based in  the Mediterranean, but our clients generally live here,” says Hatfield. “This space gives us  a central link to our clients — they might  not all be London-based, but they all pass through the capital.”

Once through the doors of this Park Lane portal, the world of Sanlorenzo opens up. There’s an array of beautiful boat models and publications, alongside large screens to run through presentations and videos of what’s currently available or could be achieved.  But as Hatfield stresses, “there’s nothing like seeing the boat through the construction process.” That means a trip to Italy and direct liaison with the two project managers assigned to every project — one overseeing the decor, the other the technical aspects of the build. 

Hatfield admits that many of the people he sees are repeat customers, returning to a brand they’re familiar with to explore the huge range of options and scales. Sanlorenzo builds GRP boats up to 40.7m in length (the SD132), while its steel-hulled vessels top out at 74m. From a set of standard blueprints, clients can adapt, amend and enhance as required, driven by personal requirements, previous experience or changing family dynamics. This is where the technical project manager comes in, establishing exactly what is and isn’t possible and making the necessary accommodations that can be sent up the line before a boat enters build. 

“Some clients have a huge amount of knowledge,” Hatfield admits, noting that ownership tends to change after between three and five years. “Ownership evolves — one of our owners came from a modest day boat and has ended up in something much larger because of the way their usage was changing.” At all scales, layouts are innately flexible. “Maybe that cabin suddenly needs to be an office. But they want the ability to be able to turn that back into a cabin in two years,” he explains. “Whatever it is, we try and find a solution. And, rarely, we have ever come back with a ‘no’.” 

The charter industry is different in its demands, and boats created purely for chartering might have a greater focus on toys and amenities, as well as accommodation for a larger crew. “It’s also more focused on location — people are normally quite clear  on where they want to charter, whether it’s Sardinia, Corsica or the Amalfi Coast, for example,” says Hatfield, adding that “we see chartering as a kind of gateway to ownership.”  Before a client gets down to the business of specification, they’ll often travel with the brand to see completed yachts on the water. “In terms of boat shows, our big four are boot Düsseldorf (January), the Palma International Boat Show (April/May) and the Cannes Yachting Festival and Monaco Yacht Show (both September),” says Hatfield. Although there are often Sanlorenzos to be seen further afield — Dubai, Miami and Shanghai, for example. 
 

Like all good things, the personal touch takes time. “For a 30m boat, you are probably looking at between 18 and 20 months to do everything from start to finish,” says Hatfield. Sanlorenzo completes around 65 to 70 boats each year, with a Timeless department for restoration and retrofit. Europe remains the strongest market, taking around two-thirds of production, with the rest apportioned between the US and Asia, and a growing presence in the Middle East. The average age of owners is also coming down, driven by the rise in fintech wealth. That said, Sanlorenzo prides itself on repeat clientele, with many families having a long connection to the brand. 

While Italian studio Zuccon International Project oversees the majority of Sanlorenzo’s exterior design, the interior approach is entirely down to the client. Since 2018, acclaimed designer Piero Lissoni has been Sanlorenzo’s art director, bringing a classic contemporary elegance to the look and feel of the interiors, as well as guiding their architectural flow and function. Lissoni’s studio is always on hand to develop things further, but many clients use their own interior architects — oftentimes working with familiar studios who might have shaped their house or vacation home. “They have an idea. They have a style, maybe from home or a favourite hotel, and whatever it is, they incorporate it into their boat,” says Hatfield.
 

The MD won’t be drawn on whether the Sanlorenzo ethos is analogous to other luxury sectors. “Yachting is so different,” he explains. “However, building and owning a Sanlorenzo is experiential rather than product-driven because it’s what that yacht then allows them to do with their family in their own environment, one they’ve co-created with  the shipyard.” “You don’t buy a Sanlorenzo; you build one,” Hatfield adds. It’s this sense of starting out on a journey — one that potentially spans many future generations — that draws our clients to the brand. “It’s an incredibly emotional thing for clients to see their new yacht go in the water,” says Hatfield. “From our side, it’s also an extremely proud moment, creating this first emotional contact with the yacht. I don’t think you normally get that from a standard buying process.” It might seem counterintuitive to begin such a voyage in the heart of Mayfair, yet all journeys must start with a single step.  

A visit to Sanlorenzo Yachts UK could launch a whole new life on the ocean waves. sanlorenzoyachts.co.uk