[ FIVE QUESTIONS TO... ]
ANTONELLA DI LEO CO FOUNDER OF ADVANCED ITALIAN YACHTS by Désirée Sormani
How do you think the luxury sailing market is doing now? The luxury superyacht segment felt the effects of the world economic crisis (2009 -2015) to a lesser effect than the medium to small end of the market. The domestic market for sailing craft is still weak but luckily export growth is still in double figures. This is due in part to Made in Italy which is ensuring that Italy is still up amongst the leading producers of over-24m yachts. I don’t know if we will ever have a market as buoyant and booming as what we experienced pre the 2009 crisis. But I am definitely feeling positive and optimistic about the future. I see new markets opening up and developing, and new product concepts gaining traction. Your yard has always focused on Made in Italy quality. Do you feel it is something that owners still want? Absolutely yes. We are investing heavily in the quality of our product, being meticulous about every tiniest construction detail. We are very strictly a Made in Italy brand and I am very keen to stress that point. We have a highly experienced sector here in Italy: fantastic artisans who have been working in this sector for over 30 years, skills acknowledged and envied the world over. We have to preserve those skills. The quality of our products is genuinely unparalleled anywhere in the world. We focus heavily on design too, not just in terms of aesthetics but also functionality. Safety is another essential subject to us: high performance yachts that can tackle seas of any kinds and any type of situation. Boats that sail around the world. The first 80’ Advanced Yacht debuted right in the middle of the recession. And two others followed in quick succession. What is the secret behind that success story and
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what new features have you added? We managed to stand out from the crowd by offering products with a strong identity. We wanted to position ourselves as a Made in Italy yard with extremely high quality luxury products. Very high performance but easy to handle. The interiors are also beautifully designed and are almost surprisingly comfortable. You feel like you are in a real home. A feeling of space combined with lots of light are the two elements we focus on with our craft. And safety which I would like to emphasise again is fundamental for anyone sailing. Although a relatively new company, Advanced has proved itself reliable. Our owners are very happy and have sailed around the world. They have also competed in leading events such as the ARC and very challenging races like the Sydney-Hobart. Because your yachts may be the first sailing yachts that really do feel like a home, would you consider commissioning a residential architect to do a new design? Why not! We are definitely always open to new things and I think that contamination from other sectors is always a positive thing, even though you have to really evaluate it too. Sailing yachts are particularly sophisticated and difficult to redesign because of problems relating to weight and thus also to performance and the small spaces involved. But it would be a great challenge. What new things are in the offing? New projects, new developments… We have our fingers in a few pies… we have a new 66’ and an 80’ under construction. We are also working on a gorgeous 100’ project for a client. 2020 and 2021 will be very important years for Advanced. I hope I will be able to reveal all very soon!
