Cosy Havens At Sea

Fuelled by their love of the ocean, these designers transform luxury yachts into cosy havens at sea

- Maria Chiara Antonini

SET THE SAILS

Guillaume Rolland’s passion for sailing inspires his elegant and streamlined approach to yacht design

As an avid sailor and a celebrated designer in the boating world, Guillaume Rolland has led the yachting division of French design and furnishings brand Liaigre since 2001. Rolland’s ardor for boating started from his first sailing experience when he was just 10 years old; his deep knowledge on the subject made him a natural fit for the brand, whose founder Christian Liaigre was just as enthusiastic about sailing.

Maintaining the delicate balance between style and efficiency, the yacht interior projects by Liaigre convey the discreet elegance of the brand while personalizing each boat to suit the needs and tastes of the owners. Here, Rolland shares more about his newest projects and the changing needs of the next generation of yacht owners.

What makes your latest project unique?

A project is special because it is the owner’s brief that initiates the story; it comes from the personality of the person who will use the yacht and not from the designer. For instance, the owner’s brief for our recent project was to create a “beach-house boat”; we used only teak wood combined with white surfaces to get a very light and calm mood throughout the boat.

What are the requests and needs of your clients today?

The new generation of owners is more driven by experiencing a real boating adventure and sharing it with friends and family. The previous generation was more focused on the demonstration of power and wealth.