METSTRADE Stage 13 hosted the debut of Redefining Luxury, a new global panel series curated by Smart Interiors Horizon (SIH), the committee operating within the Water Revolution Foundation (WRF) to advance sustainable innovation in yacht interiors. The session marked the official launch of a programme that will follow the major yachting and design events throughout 2025 and 2026.

Moderated by Clarissa Androsoni, Founder of SIH and Business Development Director at Winkels Yacht Interior, Episode 1 brought together leading industry voices to reflect on a central question: What does luxury mean today, and how can sustainability become part of its DNA?

A new conversation around luxury

The episode, titled “Embedding Sustainability into the DNA of Yacht Interiors”, opened with an exploration of how the meaning of luxury is evolving.

Rarity, craftsmanship and quality remain essential, but the panel pointed out that in 2025 they are no longer enough. Modern luxury must align with its environmental and social context.

Luxury specialist Julia Riedmeier (CODE \ LUXE) set the tone by outlining how responsibility, transparency and authenticity increasingly influence the choices of the new generation of owners.

Shifting the narrative on sustainability

A key thread running through the 30-minute discussion was the reframing of sustainability: not as a limitation, but as a natural driver of innovation in materials, interior solutions and production processes.

Farouk Nefzi (Feadship) offered the shipyard perspective, while designer Giorgio M. Cassetta provided concrete examples of how environmental responsibility can be integrated into high-end interiors without altering their essence. It also emerged that sustainable choices are not always explicitly requested by owners, which is why designers and builders have a responsibility to incorporate them discreetly yet meaningfully.

Introducing SIH: a neutral facilitator for the industry

Although conceived as an open dialogue, the session highlighted SIH’s mission: to serve as a neutral platform bringing together shipyards, designers, suppliers and researchers.

Its aim is to develop tools, materials and certification frameworks that build on earlier initiatives such as the Sustainable Yacht Design Taskforce and the Designers’ Protocol.

The first chapter of a global series

Episode 1 at METSTRADE marks the beginning of a larger journey. Upcoming chapters will be held in Hamburg, Dubai, Italy and additional international locations.

Each episode will examine a different aspect of the evolving definition of luxury, supported by rotating expert panels and media partners.

At the end of the series, SIH will publish a white paper summarising the insights gathered, intended for both the yachting sector and the broader world of luxury interiors, contract design and the cruise industry.

A luxury concept that keeps evolving

As Androsoni concluded, luxury is a living concept—one that is increasingly inseparable from responsibility, purpose and innovation. The conversation launched at METSTRADE signals the industry’s commitment to shaping a future where sustainability becomes an inherent part of what defines true luxury.

SIH’s pathway continues

Following its debut in Amsterdam, SIH is already preparing the next appointments and working with companies interested in applying the strategic guidelines developed within the Water Revolution Foundation to improve the environmental performance of the yachting sector.

The next stop in the Redefining Luxury series will be Boot Düsseldorf 2026, one of Europe’s key international yachting shows.

Filippo Ceragioli