Roberto Cavalli and Tomasso Spadolini on M/Y Freedom

“Design me something that Batman would drive!” - it was with these seven words that the Freedom concept was born. A specimen of power and style befitting of Bruce Wayne was the order of the day for Spadolini, and a professional friendship that began with Cavalli’s first yacht, 41m Baglietto RC, was rekindled in 2016.

This time, the brief was very different. Whilst RC was commissioned to be a corporate vessel, Freedom would be a recreational yacht for private cruising with Cavalli’s partner, three crew members and up to four guests.

The owner wanted something that would reflect his personality  - something bold, dramatic and unique. The pair settled on exterior styling featuring two sweeping arches framing the aft cockpit, and a metallic black hull and dark grey superstructure.

Cavalli also specified that he wanted to drive the boat himself, requiring a smaller vessel that was closer to the water. A connection with the sea was also ensured with a low aft deck cockpit featuring sliding glass doors on three sides. Lowering the deck height was quite the feat of engineering, but Spadolini felt it necessary to maintain the nautical contact that Cavalli had requested.

This was further aided by the owner’s suite being on a raised level with 360 degree views and natural ventilation, necessitating a split-level layout whereby the main salon is on the main deck aft with the owner’s suite just four steps up on the same level as the pilothouse. Again, no corners were cut in the implementation of Cavalli’s vision.

M/Y Freedom would also be a yacht of utmost privacy. Spadolini addressed this challenge by making the owner’s suite accessible only by a staircase from the main salon, that also serves as a private lounge when there are no guests on board.

Being himself from a design background, Cavalli wanted to select all the materials, finishes and accessories for the yacht’s interior himself. The idiosyncratic result reflects the distinctive Cavalli brand, with lots of animal-skin prints for the upholstery, cushion covers and bedspreads, and the bulkheads decorated with photos taken during the owner’s travels.

Cerri Cantieri Navali (CCN) ambitiously accepted the tight build schedule of 14 months, and M/Y Freedom was born. She is a yacht that embodies the spirit of her owner in such as way that could only be achieved through a collaboration between friends, and both sides of the design duo were overjoyed with the result.