Oct 1, 20213 min read

Diary #1 - Meeting the world of Sailing

On the occasion of “Les Voiles de Saint Tropez” I had the chanche to have a wonderful clothing partnership with Marga, and I'm here to tell you about this.

Teaming up with Marga was an unforgettable experience that I will carry in my heart forever.

The collaboration was born during a dinner in Milan from a chat with Igino Angelini, one of the shipowners.

When I arrived in Saint Tropez for the first day of the Regatta on September 25th I was greeted by a beautiful sunny day. This is the period when in Saint Tropez there is no summer crowd but the weather is still enchanting.

"Le Voiles de Saint Tropez” is the most international and glamorous regatta in the world that takes place every year in the gulf of the Côte d'Azur that bears his name.

This year the regatta took place from 25 September to 9 October 2021 with a record of participation, with 250 boats of all ages and sizes, from twenty countries.

The largest fleet after the French one is the Italian one, with 22 boats. Among these there was Marga (15.56 m), a 10 m International Tonnage built in 1910 on a design project by C.O. Liljegren to participate in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics under the aegis of Queen of Sweden Victoria of Baden, who originally owned the yacht. Nowadays it celebrates its 111th anniversary.

Marga is now owned by Tomas De Vargas Machuca and the brothers Alessandra and Igino Angelini who also own the Shooners Puritan and Orianda, and three other 10M S.I. : Tonino, Astarte and Linth II.

This boat is a jewel of craftsmanship, enhancing all the magic of an old-time savoir faire. It was an extreme boat for its time, able to do incredible performances even after 111 years.

I am particularly proud of this partnership that brings me closer to the poetry of the world of yesteryear hulls, regattas and more. The Sailing world, with its typically nautical uniforms, knots and stitches, has always influenced the design of my label.

And also, Marga represents the perfect synthesis of my idea of fashion: timeless elegance linked to a contemporary and strong taste, in addition to the materials of the highest quality and a graphic use of color.

The boat, which has been restored in three years respecting the initial project, has a mahogany planking and a majestic sail, which inspired the embroidery positioned on the heart - a symbol of the passion needed to revive these stupendous hulls -, of the carry-over long-sleeved polo shirt from the Marga team uniform (that I was honored to create for them!), made in a luxurious Egyptian cotton for a fresh and dry feel and a sporty-chic graphic.

The embroidery, which takes up the foreground sail, is diametrically contrasted by the monogram of the brand, launched on the occasion of the Luca Larenza Spring/Summer 2019 Collection: the Brand's Initials (LL) represented by a Rolled-Up nautical rope.

The color palette is classic: a navy blue base and gold and white embroideries, broken by some surprising bright orange contrasting details, with an unusual use of color which is the brand's signature and the result of an in-depth study with a link to my past as a street artist.