The phrase “bigger and better” typically implies something that is larger than an original product while also being of higher quality and value. That certainly applies to the most recent Kismet, which launched from the Lürssen Schacht-Audorf yard in May 2024, and made its public debut at the last Monaco Yacht Show, after a summer season in charter (for a weekly rate of 3.25 million USD.)
Kismet, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a hypothetical force or personified power that determines the course of the future events.” That’s a pretty bold name for any pleasure vessel, but Kismet is no ordinary superyacht. This 112-metre behemoth is actually the third Kismet owned by Shahid Khan, a Pakistani American billionaire who made his fortunate in the auto-parts business and then purchased the Jackson Jaguars NFL football team in Florida, the Fulham Football Club of the Premier League and, with his son, All Elite Wrestling.
Shah’s first Kismet was a rather modest, but at the time, noteworthy 67-metre vessel (which has since been renamed Global) launched in 2007 and the second was a more magnificent 95-metre gigayacht (now called Whisper) which Khan took delivery of in 2014.
With all three vessels built by Lürssen, the latest Kismet’s design team comprised an all-star cast of Venice-based Nuvolari Lenard (on the exterior) and UK-based studio Reymond Langton (on the interior), along with dozens of artisans from multiple countries with expertise in wood, metal, marble, leather, audiovisuals, fabrics and engineering. It took a small army of experts to put this remarkable vessel together, which continued the general design theme of the previous Kismet. But the designers took it in a much more ambitious direction, with some features reminiscent of the ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV’s palace in Versailles and others bearing a futuristic, sci-fi look.
The most obvious difference between the last boat and this one is of course in size. Kismet number two had an exterior by Espen Øino International and while it was sleek and expansive, including a helipad and multiple decks for entertainment, it was also much less adventurous than Nuvolari Lenar’s latest Kismet. This one boasts a sleek, navy hull and white superstructure that tapers down like a much smaller motoryacht at the stern, with a long, pointed bow that gives the vessel, with its huge internal volume, a rather svelte profile. Even the stainless-steel jaguar, this time beneath the bowsprit rather than on top like the previous version, is more sophisticated.
Kismet II had a “Champagne and caviar” interior that made a statement, with a custom grand piano sitting beneath a sweeping black-and-gold Art Deco staircase. Both boats were designed with basketball courts, helipads, fire pits and video walls. But that’s pretty much where the similarities end.
The interior of the latest Kismet is much more elaborate, accommodating up to 12 guests across nine cabins, with quarters for a crew of 37. On the main and upper decks, the full-beam duplex owner’s apartment is dripping in gold. The large primary stateroom features a circular skylight, a fireplace, and gilded wall coverings with matching bed linens and carpets. Two marbled bathrooms and dressing rooms accommodate the owners, as does the private hot tub on the forward deck. Also, one of two hair salons/beauty rooms on board the yacht are part of the owner’s complex.
And the wellness centre is even more impressive, with a cryotherapy chamber, iced plunge pool, ice-shaving station, heated lounges and possibly the first chromotherapy bathtub on a superyacht. This Balinese-inspired spa not only has a hammam, sauna, private massage room, a gym, and a floating Buddha sculpture, but an ornate “steam fireplace” surrounded by water, rocks and faux plants. The yoga studio and a juice bar, both with opening sea terraces, complete the subtle, fusion of materials and patterns.
Reymond Langton brought together multiple artisans, marble experts, woodworkers and technicians who put in place the soothing dark colours, fabric and metal on the walls, as well as specialty lighting to evoke specific moods. For instance, Sophie Mallebranche’s laminated-glass partition within the spa features a woven-metal insert that serves as both an artistic and functional component that “doesn’t stain, wipes clean, and creates total privacy,” according to the French artist. It’s a remarkable ensemble of design that is both subtle and, at times, outrageous.
At the other end of the design spectrum, Kismet’s “Tron corridor” is a glass-lined corridor to the engine room—typically a boring, functional passageway. But this corridor has videos and information screens displayed on the glass, like something from a sci-fi film set, and behind the translucent glass are the engines, generators and huge lithium batteries. The previous Kismet had video wall features in parts of the yacht, but nothing like this – plus, this Kismet can run on battery power alone for a short time, something the last version couldn’t do. The techno-design extends to a transition area between the spa and guest areas which, by day, has lounges and a cocktail bar. At night, it is a throbbing, pulsing nightclub. Like the previous yacht, Kismet’s elaborate central staircase also has a set of video walls with green and yellow flashing lighting. The dramatic staircase also features living walls full of vegetation.
On the lower deck, the ‘Nemo’ lounge is also a differentiator, combining a cinematic experience with underwater views. The 13-cm thick window measures 1.1 by 2.8 metres. It took Lürssen’s engineering team a year and a half to design it to class specifications so it’s as strong as the rest of the hull. An even, when the enormous 150-inch flatscreen is electrically lowered, the part of the window that’s below the waterline remains visible, meaning guests can theoretically admire real sharks while watching Jaws.
Kismet’s pools – there are three, one main pool and two smaller pools on other decks – are also noteworthy. The main swimming pool has a mosaic interior, with a swim-up bar and a waterfall feature. Plus, it leads on to the owner’s office space, which is quite different in its aesthetic but no less stunning. It not only has dramatic architectural features that define the ceiling (as does the rest of the yacht), but also floor-to-ceiling windows for oceanfront views, a boardroom table, and black-and-red design motifs that feature red-leather chairs and lounges. Another plus is that it can be accessed via a private staircase from the owner’s suite. Also on the pool deck is a glass-enclosed winter garden, defined by custom chandeliers, with a table that can seat 18 guests.
Nuvolari Lenard designed the vessel with some tributes to grand ocean liners of the 1920s, including wide side decks that resemble promenades and a “chimney” on top of the boat that serves as a more aesthetic look than a typical exhaust outlet. This chimney works well with the yacht’s overall aesthetic and is another point of divergence from the previous Kismet.
The yacht’s main salon is where Khan dines with select guests. It is designed to replicate the classical look of the palace at Versailles, blending a hand-painted wallpaper ceiling by de Gournay’s artists, featuring cherubs and King Neptune, with architectural features such as mirrored panels and massive windows. Antique mirrors conceal large storage cabinets, while two large gas-fed limestone fireplaces sit at the entrance to the dining space.
In another, smaller lounge is a bespoke Bogányi grand piano designed by award-winning Hungarian pianist Gergely Bogányi. The piano itself is sculptural in the way its curves and cantilevered body wrap around the crimson red cast-iron base. Shah had commissioned Bogányi to create another piano for the previous Kismet, but it’s not as grand.
The newest Kismet’s piece-de-resistance is the main dining lounge – with an entirely different vibe – featuring a stylized bar, finished in a champagne colour with a Sahara noir marble top, as its architectural centrepiece. On the outer edges, arches extend from the interior across open space to the floor-to-ceiling windows, while the eye is naturally led up to the deck above, through the open space, to see arches, glass and a walkway. It’s one of the grandest interior views in yachting. It’s also a masterpiece of modern naval architecture, and so different from every other part of the yacht. Despite all these design differences, this vessel functions as a single design statement, the latest evolution in the Kismet series that has pushed superyacht design forward.
Above: A strength of Kismet’s design is that despite the yacht’s high volume, it looks elegant and light. Opposite centre top: The ceiling in the main salon features hand painted wallpaper by de Gournay. Opposite centre: Spectacular features include a staircase with 1,500 lighting components and a carbon-fibre piano on the owner’s deck. Opposite bottom: Custom shades on the top deck below the mast.
Above: Accessed from the bridge deck and hidden within Kismet's substantial mast is a double staircase leading up to an ultra-private relaxation space comprising a spa pool and sunpads. Opposite top: This art deco lounge has cinema seating, not just so guests can admire marine life in style but because there's a fold-down cinema screen too. Opposite centre: The master suite occupies two decks, and is embellished with a skylight and fireplace, as well as his and hers ensuite bathrooms and dressing rooms.
