What happens when an Instagrammer designs a superyacht
Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN • Published 5th February 2021
(CNN) — With over 350,000 followers on his luxury yacht-focused Instagram account, Denis Suka is already something of an influential figure in the yachting world.
But after posting about incredible vessels for nearly three years, the man behind the @theyachtmogul account is turning his hand to yacht design.
The social media influencer has teamed up with Bhushan Powar Design Studio to devise a superyacht concept named after his hugely popular account.
Measuring 295 feet, the Mogul project features a 26-foot infinity pool, as well as an owner's suite with floor-to-ceiling windows, offering panoramic views, a private hot tub and direct access to a touch-and-go helipad station.
"A lot of yachts aren't very beautiful," he tells CNN Travel. "I thought, if I can bring something nice, maybe someone will want to build it. My goal was to come up with something different.
"There are thousands of yachts in the industry. If we make something the same as the others, it's not going to make any difference."
Unconventional design
A rendering of the Mogul project, a collaboration between influencer Denis Suka and Bhushan Powar Design Studio.
Courtesy Bhushan Powar Design Studio
Since creating the Instagram page in 2018, Suka has devoted much of his time to studying yachts and says he's developed a good understanding of what makes designs stand out, along with what's currently missing from the market.
He decided to make the owner's quarters the main focus while conceptualizing Mogul after noticing that this aspect was often neglected in similar vessels.
"In other yachts, you don't even know where the owner's room is," Suka explains.
"But in Mogul, the owner can sail the boat and look out at a 180-degree view. I can imagine waking up with that view."
Mogul also has a large swim platform, a beach lounge, two tender garages on either side with room for plenty of water toys.
After proposing his idea to the design studio last year, Suka spent six to seven months working on the project, and is thrilled with the result.
"I put so much work into it," Suka admits. "Especially because it was my name [Mogul]."
He says he's received a lot of positive feedback from potential buyers since revealing the Mogul concept, which has an estimated price of between $180 and 200 million, and has been in discussions with other designers and naval engineers about moving to the next stage.
High demand
The vessel's estimated price is between $150 and 200 million.
Courtesy Bhushan Powar Design Studio
If the Mogul concept was to be picked up, Suka believes it would take at least three years to build.
Demand for superyachts has been rising for many years -- the global fleet increased from 3,906 crafts in 2009 to 5,646 in 2019, according to the Superyacht Group.
While sales dipped slightly in 2020 due to the pandemic, superyacht market intelligence source BOAT Pro indicated that a total of 341 were sold by the end of the year.
But the more superyachts that emerge onto the scene, the harder it is to truly stand out, and designers are being pushed to come up with vessels that are both eye-catching and innovative.
Mogul is one of several exciting new superyacht concepts that could be hitting the waters in the coming years.
Slovenian design company VOM Creations recently shared adventurous new explorer concept Mr. Hunt, named after Tom Cruise's character in the "Mission Impossible," while Lazzarini Design Studio launched the Prodigium project, a vessel shaped like a shark, back in November.
Younger buyers
The Mogul project features a 26-foot infinity pool and an owner's suite with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Courtesy Bhushan Powar Design Studio
Suka, who moved to Monaco in 2018, says he's noticed a shift towards more cutting edge, inventive designs and the boundaries will be pushed further and further as time goes on.
"I'm sure we won't see these types of designs [such as Mogul] in a few years," he says.
"In the future, buyers will be even younger and they'll want more futuristic designs. We'll see designs that are more like spaceships."
While Suka hopes the Mogul project will come to fruition soon, he's currently developing a new design for an explorer concept, as well as working as a yacht broker.
"I will keep bringing projects until one of them is built," he adds.
But despite his numerous assignments, Suka remains dedicated to his Instagram account, pointing out that all of the opportunities he's garnered in the yachting world have come as a result of the page.
"No matter how high I go, Instagram is my priority, " he says. "That's where I started, and where I am now is because of the account. Everyone knows me as 'the yacht mogul.'"
