Christian Grande

Christian Grande has been running his Parma-based Design Works studio since 1992, handling projects in yachting, automotive, interior design and architecture. Grande began working on yacht design commissions for the Key Light 19 and 21 for Sessa Marine while still a student. Today, yachting accounts for 45% of his studio's order volume, including well-known names such as Sacs, Cranchi and Abarth. For Invictus and Capoforte, responsibility extends beyond design to overall concept and marketing. Christian Grande's multidisciplinary approach also allows him to successfully carry out larger projects, such as architectural commissions, which also account for 45% of sales. Christian Grande is married and father of two daughters and a son.

Christian Grande: The Young Italian Redefining Nautical Elegance

Early Childhood and Initial Connection to Sailing

Born in Parma in 1972—about as far from the sea as you can get in Italy—Christian Grande’s path to becoming one of Europe’s most influential yacht designers wasn’t exactly charted by salt and wind. Yet even as a boy, he showed an unusual fascination with how beauty meets function. He filled sketchbooks with streamlined cars and sleek boat hulls, long before ever stepping onto a deck. It was during family summers on the Ligurian coast that the sea worked its magic on him. There, he saw the horizon not just as a sailor would, but as a canvas waiting to be shaped.

Journey to Nautical Success

Armed with a degree in industrial design and a hunger for something more daring, Christian caught his first big break in his early twenties with Sessa Marine. At just 24, he wasn’t merely drawing boats—he was tasked with reshaping the brand’s entire design language. The result? Yachts with bold, sculptural lines and interiors that felt both luxurious and effortlessly modern.

His rise was swift. Collaborations followed with names like Sanlorenzo, Invictus Yacht, and Sacs. What marked him out wasn’t just a distinctive aesthetic—it was his ability to weave design into an experience. His boats didn’t just turn heads at harbors; they made statements about how the modern owner wanted to live on the water.

Major Career Achievements

Grande’s portfolio spans more than a hundred yachts, ranging from sleek tenders to head-turning superyachts. The Invictus T series blended sporty grit with Italian finesse, and his work on Sanlorenzo’s SX88 introduced a new category of crossover yachts—contemporary, ambitious, and refreshingly original.

His designs have earned international praise, from industry awards to design showcases at Triennale di Milano and the Monaco Yacht Show. Yet perhaps the clearest measure of his success lies with the clients who return, again and again, asking for something not just beautiful—but personal.

Personal Life and Broader Impact

Despite international acclaim, Christian Grande remains grounded in the rhythm of Italian life. He splits his time between the quiet creativity of his Parma studio and the vivid seascapes of Liguria. Away from drawing boards and boatyards, he finds inspiration cycling through the countryside or hiking along coastal cliffs.

More than a designer, Christian Grande is a storyteller—his medium just happens to be fiberglass and teak. With each new project, he invites us to reimagine what a yacht can be: not simply a vessel, but a floating work of art shaped by vision, movement, and soul.