This Decade-Old Superyacht Still Dazzles With Its Bold Italian Spirit

The customer who was willing to pay somewhere around $15 million ten years ago for a floating luxury toy was one of those passionate owners who are very involved in the design process. According to Luca Dini, the renowned Florence-based designer who also styled The Shadow among numerous high-end projects, no other customer had been so active in the creative process.

The Shadow, originally bearing the unusual name "Nameless," was the eighth hull in Mondomarine's popular 40-meter series. The 41-meter (134 feet) superyacht was the creation of three huge names in the industry – Mondomarine, an Italian luxury yacht builder dating since the 1970s, the Dutch exterior designers at Cor D. Rover Design, and the legendary Luca Dini Design & Architecture. More than that, it was a highly-customized luxury toy that clearly stood out among the other hulls in the series.

The mysterious and enthusiastic owner wanted a superyacht that would feel like home, with a focus on wide, welcoming areas for socializing and on a seamless indoor-outdoor flow. As a result, The Shadow gained an additional outdoor area for sunbathing by ditching a part of the superstructure in front of the wheelhouse. The Shadow became the only unit in the Mondomarine 40M Series to flaunt this feature.

The cabin layout was also unconventional. All four guest cabins were added on the lower deck, with two smaller, versatile ones flanked on each side by a spacious VIP suite. The VIP staterooms revealed a bold interior style with beds that were placed off-center; this created more room for the living areas and for sumptuous entries.

The master suite kept its traditional placement on the main deck but broke the norm in terms of layout. It was designed as a lavish open-space area with no separations between the actual cabin, the private office, and the large dressing room. While this may be common for larger superyachts, it's an innovative addition for a yacht in this size category.

A total of 12 guests can enjoy these unconventional staterooms. At the same time, four separate cabins are dedicated to a large crew of eight.

Style-wise, the owner's rebel spirit translated into a fusion-type interior that mixed elements from multiple sources. High customization and Italian luxury were the key concepts. For instance, the builder had to obtain 300 square meters (3,229 square feet) of white Carrara marble for floors and doors. In addition to that, the typical swimming pool on the sun deck became extra special because it was covered in handmade ceramic tiles, made to measure using a traditional Florentine furnace from the early 1900s.

Other precious materials included mahogany, white leather panels, onyx, and fine textiles that were custom-made by a luxury Florentine company. The owner topped all of this with his private collection of modern art, tastefully scattered in all the socializing areas. Last but not least, each outdoor area was personalized with specific colors and décor pieces.

The main salon, with a formal dining area, and the second salon on the upper deck, connecting to a generous al-fresco dining area, were designed to reflect the yacht's overall friendly and welcoming spirit. The sun deck offered spectacular views, and the additional sunbathing area allowed everyone onboard to enjoy the sun in full comfort.

The sharp, masculine profile with a striking dark hull and silver superstructure matched this creative interior style to perfection. The Shadow's bold aesthetic was applauded during the 2014 World Superyacht Awards, where it was one of the finalists.

Performance-wise, the Italian vessel complied with equally high standards. Its twin MTU engines could hit 19 knots (21.8 mph/35 kph), while the advanced technology for minimizing sound and vibration onboard was an innovation ten years ago when The Shadow made its debut. Primarily designed for casual vacations with friends and family, The Shadow ensured a moderate range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,555 km) at 12 knots (13.8 mph/22 kph).

Unsurprisingly, the creative owner that helped bring to life such a beautiful pleasure craft turned out to be a serial yacht owner. He commissioned a bigger and better yacht from the same shipyard as soon as The Shadow was delivered and eventually parted with the bespoke 134-footer. The yacht was recently sold for €9,9 million ($10.8 million) and might undergo a refit soon before starting a new chapter.

Mondomarine is known for launching several world-famous superyachts, including Sarastar (the yard's flagship), Tribu, and Mrs. L. In the 1970s, it made waves with the imposing Mohamedia, built for the controversial billionaire Adnan Khashoggi, dubbed "the world’s richest arms dealer."