Brunello Acampora, founder of Victory Design

OUR JOB IS TO INVENT THE FUTURE , AND WE DO IT THROUGH WHAT I CALL ‘TOTAL DESIGN’

by Samuela Urbini, ph. courtesy by Victory Design

Brunello Acampora founded Victory Design in 1989 and since then has led a work group creating yachts for prestigious companies like Isa Yachts, Cougar Marine, Azimut and many Ferretti Group brands, including Pershing, Bertram, Riva, Ferretti Yacht and CRN. Of Italian origin but with Anglo-Saxon training, the cutting edge is the key to his designs, a blend of functionality and performance enhanced by strikingly elegant forms

Renato “Sonny” Levi, regarded as the father of motor yachting. He was my mentor. At the age of nineteen I left Naples to study Yacht and Boat Design at Southampton. I chose to go there mainly because it was near Levi’s house on the Isle of Wight. He developed a liking for this young Neapolitan who had read all his books and knew all his designs. He invited me to lunch one Sunday every month so I could spend a few hours with him”.

CREATIVE MINDS ]

Eclectic, vivacious, cultured and passionate, Brunello Acampora, founder of Victory Design, grew up surrounded by style and beauty, instilling in him a desire to seek new forms of elegance in the yacht-building industry. Both parents became internationally known for their work in Italian ready-to-wear haute couture, emulating French prêt-à-porter. The list of family friends included Walter Albini, Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani and Mariuccia Mandelli of Krizia. “They all placed great emphasis on the world of aesthetics and shapes”, says the designer. “They also had wonderful homes and we made some lovely journeys. This environment also included some beautiful yachts. I fell in love with the idea definitively when my father bought the Italcraft Drago, which led me to discover

Knowing exactly what he wanted, in 1989 at the age of only twentythree Acampora founded Victory Design. It was originally based in Turin, but now its offices are in Naples and London, and the designer divides his time between the two cities. A career spanning almost 35 years with commissions from prestigious clients like Isa Yachts, Cougar Marine, Azimut and many Ferretti Group brands, including Pershing, Bertram, Riva, Ferretti Yacht and CRN. “I’ve never limited Victory Design to a certain type of yacht”, says Acampora, who is especially proud of the yachts that marked the repositioning of a brand, like the first Italian-style lobster boat for Mochi (before the company was bought out by the Ferretti Group), the Mochi Dolphin, a much sought-after model on the pre-owned market, or the yachts he designed for Solaris when it took the decision to enter the motor yacht world.

How does he achieve results like this? “I learnt to design in the traditional way, but I’m not a nostalgia freak. I’ve always sought to gain access to the best technology available, because I think it’s our job to invent the future. All this, though, should be balanced by a very important gift – intuition. Technology is only a verification tool. My method is TotalDesign – you can’t bring together the work of so many specialists if you haven’t a vision of the whole. A yacht should always be beautiful, when it’s under way and when it’s at anchor. It should leave a beautiful wake. This goes hand in hand with an

Above, E1 RaceBird, created to compete in E1, the first electric boat world championships, an event founded by Alejandro Agag and Rodi Basso. Teams led by Rafa Nadal and Sergio Perez will also be taking part. The boats were designed by Britain’s SeaBird Technologies, founded by Sophie Horne, and were developed and engineered by Victory Design. Left, Brunello Acampora at work. Below right, a rendering of the exteriors of Bolide 80 and left, its interiors with leather-covered carbon fibre elements. Opposite page, bottom, a rendering of the yacht, which resembles a hypercar, under way. Able to reach 75 knots, it is currently under construction (photo, top) with the collaboration of Persico Marine

efficient, well-designed hull. Good looks and functionality are two sides of the same coin, and I believe one of these functions is to make the owner happy!”

And the new range inaugurated with the 24.90-metre Bolide 80 currently being built in-house and the 50-metre Bolide 170 presented at the last Monaco Boat Show, is intended for owners who love the thrill of speed. This custom line is offered in a limited number of builds whose exterior design features long curves sweeping from stern, a homage to the great Italian coachbuilders. “Bolide aims to be the world’s fastest

motor yacht”, says the designer. The 80-foot craft can sail safely at a cruising speed of 55 knots, with breath-taking sprints of up to 75 knots. “But the consumption per mile will be lower than any other 80-foot planing cruise yacht because it’s extremely light, has a superefficient all-carbon hull and is an expression of Italian expertise and flair throughout, from technology to interior design, which was handled by Stefano Faggioni”, a prestigious name in vintage yacht circles. A fusion of cutting-edge technology with elements of seafaring expertise and vintage yacht luxury that’s sure to cause a stir. https://victory.it

Below left, Acampora shows off the Bolide line ranging from 70 to 170 feet in length. The first is the Bolide 80, currently under construction, followed by the project for the 170, presented in Monaco last September. Above, a comparison of Bolide 80 and 170. Below right, the cockpit of the 80-foot yacht