Colors of the sea and design: the upholstery of Riva motorboats between visual identity and luxury

This paper examines the chromatic and material evolution of the interiors of the Aquarama motorboat, an iconic model produced by the Italian shipyard Riva between 1962 and 1996. Positioned at the intersection of visual culture, design, and brand identity, the study investigates the strategic role of colour in shaping an aesthetic and symbolic imaginary aligned with both Mediterranean and international notions of luxury. Grounded in a theoretical reflection on colour as a cultural code and communicative device, the research explores the main formal and chromatic transformations of the upholstery, steering wheels, and waterline of the Aquarama and its variants (Super, Special). Through a comparative analysis of archival sources, technical documentation, and firsthand accounts from restoration professionals, the study highlights how Riva’s chromatic choices — including distinctive aquamarine, lobster, and cream hues — emerged from a careful synthesis of international influences (notably American automotive and aeronautical design of the 1950s and 1960s) and a refined design vision shaped by Carlo Riva and architect Giorgio Barilani. Materials such as Naugahyde and Italvipla vinyl coverings further contributed to defining the product’s identity, not only in aesthetic terms but also in its sensory and symbolic dimensions. The closing section of the paper focuses on the perceptual and communicative impact of the Riva colour palette, demonstrating how colour operates as a distinctive sign capable of activating mechanisms of brand recognition, desirability, and affiliation. The Aquarama thus emerges as an exemplary case of iconic construction through design—an object in which every element, from upholstery configurations to colour choices, contributes to the articulation of a coherent, refined, and recognizable visual language. In this sense, colour is affirmed not merely as a decorative attribute, but as a privileged key to understanding Riva’s identity.