kismet khan superyacht aerial view
Courtesy Blueiprod

Inside a Naples Titan's 400-Foot Majestic Superyacht

How do you improve on maritime perfection? With a 13-foot steel jaguar nodding to your football team, fashion house-themed suites and a grand salon that rivals Versailles. Step aboard part-time Neopolitan Shahid Khan's Kismet.

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When Kismet debuted at the Monaco Yacht Show last fall, the 400-foot Lürssen masterpiece commanded attention not merely for its scale but for its paradigm-shifting design. The German shipyard, renowned for creating the world’s most prestigious superyachts, leads with a striking statement: a 13-foot stainless steel leaping jaguar at the bow. Crafted by Taiwanese marine hardware specialist Aritex, the sculptural flourish references the owner of Kismet, part-time Neapolitan Shahid Khan, owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

Italian firm Nuvolari Lenard conceived Kismet’s sleek steel hull and aluminum superstructure, incorporating an innovative mast design to conceal the exhaust pipes. White-shoe firm Reymond Langton Design orchestrated the interiors, strategically using voids, mirrors and glass flooring for an expansive, continuous aesthetic amid varied design languages. The result is a series of sophisticated sight lines that draw the eye through the six decks of this floating Cave of Wonders.

A serpentine central staircase connects all decks, its bronze-finish ziricote slats backlit by 1,500 lights. The surrounding wall upholstery, from British company Fromental, transitions from deep to light green as one ascends, creating a subtle gradient. The owner’s quarters crown the composition, occupying nearly an entire deck and exemplifying luxury through materiality: merino wool carpeting, hand-embroidered silk walls, gold-leaf scalloped panels and high-gloss walnut marquetry, all cast in natural light from an oversized circular skylight.

A masculine palette emerges in Khan’s panoramic private office, which blends work (with a custom desk by Silverlining and a connected boardroom) and play (via a spacious, red leather, L-shaped sofa to watch Jaguars games on the large TV dropping down from the ceiling).

Below, nine expansive staterooms sleep up to 12 guests. Khan’s daughter, Shanna, who assisted with the superyacht’s design, paid homage to high fashion through the four main-deck staterooms, each themed after a storied house: Chanel, Dior, Lalique, and Hermès. In the Lalique suite, crystal-studded dahlia wallpaper and strategically placed swallows, secured by high-strength magnets, glimmer alongside floor-to-ceiling windows, high-gloss Avodire wood elements, and lavish stone bathrooms.

Major design eras hold pride of place throughout the ship. The lower-deck movie room harkens to Art Deco theaters, with its Tiffany blue velvet seating and gilded, geometric ceiling motif, while the nearby spa—complete with a cryotherapy chamber, steam fireplace and beauty room with Fromental crystal-encrusted wallpaper—transports guests to a Balinese retreat. Upstairs, the coastal-modern pool deck salon becomes a Nikki Beach-like dance club, when the neon lights are queued.

Natural views play as much into the design as the built environment. On the lower deck, the movie theater’s large screen retracts into the ceiling to reveal a 5-inch-thick window, showcasing underwater wonders. On upper decks, sweeping lines, open spaces and walls of glass guide the eye toward the open seas.

The culmination of the architectural journey unfolds in the main saloon, conceived to recall Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors. Unable to replicate the palace’s soaring heights, the designers captured its baroque essence through mirrors, ornate molding and dramatic lighting. The ceiling features hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper depicting classical cherubs and mythical figures, complemented by champagne-colored milled aluminum by California-based Neal Feay, with integrated acoustics. Nearby, experimental design studio Based Upon conceived the shapely bar with a faux Sahara noir marble top, and a sculptural Bogányi piano stands sentinel. Throughout, glassy surfaces, parquet-style travertine floors and limestone fireplaces bridge Old World and contemporary sensibilities.

Exterior spaces reflect Nuvolari Lenard’s sophisticated nod to maritime heritage, particularly in the sweeping promenade decks recalling the golden age of ocean liners. The broad, teak-lined walkways have been reimagined as contemporary social spaces that blur interior and exterior living. Curved wood slats line the beach club, their organic forms mirrored in the twin curved staircases on either side, creating a cohesive architectural language throughout the open-air spaces.

The historical inspirations harmonize with modern amenities: three pools define outdoor living spaces on different decks, with distinct design elements, including a mosaic-lined basin and an integrated waterfall that serves as a visual anchor and ambient soundscape. The illuminated swim-up bar, wrapped in mirrored metalwork, exemplifies the marriage of function and architectural form.

On the foredeck, you find a dramatic example of multipurpose design at sea—the surface transforms from helipad to sports court. Elsewhere, a winter garden-style dining area has glass panels that disappear into the structure.

From intimate conversation nooks to expansive entertainment zones and fire features integrated into sculptural surrounds, each exterior space has been choreographed to create distinct environments while maintaining visual continuity. In Kismet, one finds an exemplar of contemporary maritime architecture, honoring seafaring traditions while pushing the boundaries of modern yacht design.