The sea is a continual source of inspiration for Lapo Eduard Elkann, the New York-born entrepreneur of Italian descent. As one of his first childhood memories, the ocean is also the catalyst of his latest endeavor...
"Blue has been the colour of my life. I've always loved the sea – it gives you a feeling of freedom and liberty. It's a limitless world; a world which has no limits and no boundaries. My first relationship with the ocean was in Brazil as a child. I think the seaside is the place I most prefer; I love boating, I love surfing, I love swimming. I love to be in silence by the sea and to be able to look at it. The sea gives me an energy which no other place in the world does – it is where I like to go to regenerate, to think about ideas. The sea gives me creativity and energy and makes me want to be at peace with myself, more so than when I'm in a city. I often go sailing and love to be at sea. I have a dream that one day I will cruise around the world."
"The sea gives me an energy which no other place in the world does"
The sea is a continual source of inspiration for Lapo Edvard Elkann, the New York-born entrepreneur of Italian descent. One of his first childhood memories, the ocean is also the catalyst of his latest endeavor as president of creative and style brand Italia Independent, who have recently partnered with Vertu to launch a unique handset collection: Constellation Blue, handcrafted in England. "I had the opportunity to personalise the Vertu handset", Lapo explains. "I combined highly crafted materials such as carbon fibre, sapphire and leather, with my passion for the sea as the underlying inspiration. The Constellation Blue Collection uses five different shades of blue; my colour of preference which best reflects my own personality and style.” Part of the famous Agnelli family, Lapo is a fascinating character and enthusiastic about every project he undertakes – from bespoke Ferraris to the development of the Fiat 500 by Gucci. Nicknamed 'Lapo of luxury', he has a wardobe of incredible suits, including ones belonging to his grandfather, is always exquisitely turned out and, as a result, has featured on countless best dressed lists (including Vanity Fair Best Dressed Hall of Fame) and was cited by Tom Ford as the world's chicest man.
Text by Laura Bradley
