RIVA AQUARAMA

There are objects that exist beyond luxury.
Objects that become atmosphere, fantasy, memory, cinema.

The legendary Riva Aquarama belongs to that rare category.

More than a boat, the Aquarama became one of the greatest symbols of Mediterranean glamour ever created a floating expression of Italian elegance, sensuality, craftsmanship, and la dolce vita. With its polished mahogany wood, gleaming chrome details, cream upholstery, and unmistakable silhouette cutting through impossibly blue waters, the Aquarama transformed the very idea of summer luxury into an art form.

Assouline’s Riva Aquarama is an extraordinary homage to this icon of timeless sophistication.

Created in celebration of the boat’s legendary legacy, the book transports readers directly into the golden world of the Côte d’Azur, Portofino afternoons, silk scarves moving in the sea breeze, vintage sunglasses, Aperol at sunset, and endless summers inhabited by movie stars, aristocrats, collectors, and dreamers.

Dreamed up by the visionary Carlo Riva, the Aquarama became the obsession of cultural icons and international elite figures alike. From Brigitte Bardot and Elizabeth Taylor to royalty and industrial magnates, owning a Riva was never simply about boating it was about entering a lifestyle built around beauty, freedom, pleasure, and impeccable taste.

Inside this magnificent volume, author Michael Verdon explores not only the engineering and design genius behind the Aquarama, but also the mythology surrounding it. Every page feels cinematic. Every image captures the emotional warmth of Mediterranean summers and the seductive calm of luxury experienced slowly.

What makes this edition particularly extraordinary is that it mirrors the spirit of the Aquarama itself: handcrafted, elegant, collectible, and deeply emotional. Presented in Assouline’s luxurious Ultimate Collection format, complete with exquisite craftsmanship and collector-level presentation, the book feels less like a publication and more like a design object worthy of a yacht salon, a marble coffee table overlooking the sea, or a private library curated with precision and soul.

This is not a book for people who simply love boats.

It is for those who understand the romance of timeless design.

For those who believe elegance should feel effortless.
For those who dream in shades of turquoise water, polished wood, warm sun, and impossible summers that never truly end.

Because the Aquarama was never only a vessel.

It was  and still is a dream floating on water.