Dasha Moranova is the Creative director and Founder of Dasha Moranova Designs. DMD is an award-winning Interior and Exterior design firm located in Amsterdam.
Dasha, born in the Czech Republic, is a seasoned superyacht designer based in Amsterdam. With a Master’s degree in Industrial Design from Prague, she began her career in 2008 with landmark projects in Hamburg, including Eclipse (164.5M) and Luna (115M). Dasha has contributed to renowned firms like Terence Disdale Studio and Marcel Wanders before founding her own firm, DMD, three years ago. She focuses on sustainable yacht design, reflecting a growing industry trend.
Podcast Episode links:
Can you introduce yourself by sharing your name, where you're from, your role in the yachting industry, and the company you work for?
My name is Dasha Moranova. I was born in the Czech Republic, in the heart of beautiful mountains. I studied in Prague, Holland, and Hungary, and completed my six-year Master's degree in Industrial Design at the Academy of Design and Architecture in Prague.
In 2007, I decided to move to Mallorca. I’ve always loved Mediterranean culture and dreamed of living by the sea, having admired beautiful yachts and sailing culture during our family holidays in Croatia. So, I started my new life in sunny Mallorca, but little did I know what was about to unfold and where my journey would take me.
I’ve been in the superyacht industry since 2008, and my very first project was directly with the Owners Team on two challenging new builds in Hamburg. One of them was the largest private superyacht in the world at the time, Eclipse (164.5m), and the other was the expedition yacht Luna (115m).
Can you share how you first got involved in the yachting industry?
This happened very magically. One of my top residential clients, for whom I was designing homes in Mallorca and several other residential projects around the globe, decided to look for a 40m yacht. This was in 2008, and it was my very first Monaco Yacht Show. We visited many yachts at the show and were also invited as guests on one of the 50m yachts to enjoy Italy. It felt like a dream, and I was very lucky because this client also recommended me to my next clients.
Everything happened at the right time and very quickly. I had been interviewed on Wednesday in Hamburg, and by the following Monday, I had already moved from Mallorca and started at a new office at the Blohm & Voss shipyard.
Can you describe your role and the key tasks you handle? What does your job entail on a daily basis?
I am very happy and grateful for the experiences I have gained during these 16 years in yachting. As I mentioned, I started in the industry as an Owner's Supply Manager and later became the Interior Manager for two of the largest new builds for the Owners' team (M/Y Eclipse and M/Y Luna). We also managed several other yachts under the BOYM umbrella. Part of my job involved quality control of the interior build, working with top interior outfitters, and I did the final acceptance of all cabins on Eclipse. I also always enjoyed the sea trials.
After Hamburg, I moved to London and worked for the legendary Terence Disdale Studio, where I was part of three yacht builds as a Senior Interior Designer. Afterward, I worked for a short time at Winch Design. Later, for family reasons, I moved from London to Amsterdam and worked as a Senior Lead Designer for Marcel Wanders, where we built a six-star hotel in Qatar. I led a team of 25 to 30 designers, worked closely with clients, and traveled a lot. It was an amazing experience.
After that, I decided to set up my own business, stopped freelancing for other designers, and founded DMD. This is my third year running an independent business, and I have built a small team based here in Amsterdam.
Could you walk us through a typical workday, including your main tasks and projects?
Each day is a bit different, I would say. It also depends on what stage each project is at and whether I'm traveling to the shipyard to consult with the team and contractors, or working with my office team. Some days, I'm at my desk designing, sketching, experimenting with materials, and creating general arrangement plans. Other days, I'm writing contracts, making spreadsheets, or creating marketing videos with my team. To be honest, since we’re still a small team, I wear many different hats. I’m the CEO, the Creative Director, and I can make a pretty good coffee! But jokes aside, I’m very proud of us, and the plan is to grow quickly very soon.
Can you describe what it's like to work for yourself? What is the work environment and company culture like?
Working for myself and being my own boss is truly great, but it also brings many new challenges and sleepless nights, of course. I know I can design and am extremely passionate about my work, but to be honest, over the last couple of years, I have been educating myself on running a business and being a business owner. I invested a lot of time in various business mastery courses, and I must say, I have grown to really love this part of the job.
What would you consider your biggest accomplishment or proudest moment in the yachting industry?
I think that one is still to come. Even so, I am extremely grateful and equally proud of the opportunities, amazingly talented people I've had the chance to meet, and the projects I've had the chance to work on.
What changes have you observed in the industry since you began your career?
Yes, I think there have been a few. To start, from a design perspective, mainly due to the new younger generation of owners, both the exteriors and interiors of yachts look very different these days.
What is your vision for the future of the yachting industry?
I am very happy to see that the industry is now heading in the right direction toward a greener future. We're not just talking about sustainability anymore; the conversation is turning into action, driven by conscious new owners and leading shipyards like Lürssen, Feadship, Oceanco, and many others who are following suit. Protecting our oceans should be our primary goal moving forward.
Is there something about you or your work that most people might not know?
I love to travel, play sports, and throw myself into anything new and exciting. I also enjoy reading and educating myself daily. I admire Japanese culture and the wellness world. I am a very proud mom to a kind and sweet 11-year-old daughter, whom I raised 80% on my own. It’s always a juggling act balancing work and home life, but I believe that experience has taught me how to prioritize and manage my time better than anyone.
What advice would you give to your younger self, and what do you wish you had known on your first day in the yachting industry?
Hmm, that's a great question. If I could offer advice, it would be to talk to people more and approach those you admire, those you wish to learn from. You might be surprised—most will be happy to share their experiences and even their mistakes. I was very lucky to be surrounded by incredible people and mentors, like my former boss Richard Pearce from Blue Ocean Yacht Management and Martin Trostel, who was the Interior Manager at Blohm + Voss at the time. They were my best teachers, and we remain very good friends 16 years later.
Additionally, work hard and learn from everyone. In my early days, I spent 14 hours each day at the shipyard, learning from all different fields. I love the shipyard environment—it's like watching an orchestra in motion.
We're also fortunate because the yachting industry feels like a big family. We truly care about one another, and I'm grateful for the many amazing lifelong friends I've made in this industry.
Get in touch with Sarah Flavell
Website: https://www.dashamoranova.com
댓글