Press archive · Luxury Immobiliare
From Manhattan to the villas of Forte dei Marmi
An international bridge between New York and Versilia for a new way of living and investing.
THE NEW LUXURY THAT UNITES WORLDS AND DREAMS
THE INTERNATIONAL SIGNATURE OF SERGEY BASHKYRTSEV AND FABRIZIO ZANETTI
FROM MANHATTAN TO THE VILLAS OF FORTE DEI MARMI: A GOLDEN BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO VISIONS OF EXCLUSIVE LIVING
We return to Forte dei Marmi to meet successful real-estate professionals and builders Sergey Bashkyrtsev and Fabrizio Zanetti. Once again, in our ongoing search for news and trends in the rich, diverse world of luxury real estate, we discover new projects, new horizons and new perspectives.
Sergey, can you tell us what your recent trip to New York represented?
Our trip to New York was much more than a simple business mission: it was a genuine change of perspective.
In what sense?
We chose to meet international clients where they are—to go where they live, invest and make decisions. For too long, Forte dei Marmi’s real-estate market operated locally, waiting for clients to arrive. But today, clients come from all over the world, and many of them have never been to Forte, even though they may have heard of it for its understated charm, its artisanal hospitality, or because they hope to meet Andrea Bocelli on the beach. That is precisely the idea: to bring Forte dei Marmi to the world and the world to Forte dei Marmi, with strategic intelligence and a network of relationships built on trust and reputation.
Is this where the collaboration with Sotheby’s International Realty began?
Exactly. In Manhattan, thanks to a mutual friend and client, we met Sofia Falleroni, Senior Global Real Estate Advisor at Sotheby’s International Realty. An immediate and profound professional rapport developed between us. We want to build a direct bridge between Forte dei Marmi and New York, opening up two markets that share common values: beauty, exclusivity and sound investment. Working with Sotheby’s means broadening our horizons and positioning Forte dei Marmi among the world’s most desirable destinations, alongside Montecarlo, Malibu and Saint-Tropez. It also means moving beyond the traditional concept of a real-estate agency and embracing a new advisory dimension, in which the client is guided expertly through a global journey.
How does this new global vision change the way you work?
It changes everything. Our job is no longer to wait for the client, but to reach them anywhere in the world, speak their language and understand their way of experiencing luxury. Real Estate Advisor today is no longer simply an agency: it is an international ecosystem. We offer brokerage, but also luxury concierge services, private flights, yacht rentals, wealth advisory, and legal and art services. We operate in six languages and move agilely between Europe, Israel, the United States and the Baltic countries. Thanks to our partnership with Sotheby’s, we have expanded our network of relationships and can now propose cross-border investment opportunities, in which a villa in Forte dei Marmi can engage with a penthouse on Fifth Avenue, and vice versa.
Fabrizio, how does this international vision integrate with your work in the area?
Naturally. We have been building villas in Forte dei Marmi for two generations. Today, however, anyone building here is doing so for a clientele from all over the world. That is why we wanted to open the dialogue: to explain to those who have never been here why Forte dei Marmi is unique—in terms of quality of life, landscape, services and discretion.
Sergey and I share a vision.
What is it?
To promote the culture of Italian luxury around the world, also involving international partners, architectural practices and consultants who share our bespoke approach. We place great importance on trust, respect for deadlines and transparency: values that apply both in Forte dei Marmi and in New York.
And how is this vision expressed in your actual projects?
Through every detail. With Roma Imperiale Luxury Services, together with architectural designer Michele Vitaloni, we have created three signature villas that will rise in Forte’s most iconic areas. These are bespoke projects, conceived for an international clientele wishing to participate actively in creating their own home. We offer complete customization, cutting-edge technologies, noble materials and an immersive experience, even remotely. Each villa is unique: it grows out of attentive listening to the client and an ongoing interplay between local taste and global inspiration. This enables us to transform every building into a true narrative of style and identity.
Beyond Forte dei Marmi, which other destinations do you cover?
With TENET Holding and ERMES Collection, we work in selected locations: Porto Cervo, Saturnia and the Alps. Always according to the same philosophy: respect for the area, sustainability and signature architecture. Our goal is to create an atelier of residential luxury, starting from Forte but embracing the most authentic Italy. In every project, we draw inspiration from the genius loci, enhancing the characteristics of the place and harmonizing them with the expectations of a cosmopolitan clientele. Whether it is a seaside villa or an alpine residence, we want to create places where luxury is never ostentation, but a coherent expression of beauty, harmony and innovation.
Sergey, Fabrizio, what does luxury represent today, in your view?
“Luxury,” Bashkyrtsev tells us, “is meeting the client’s dream wherever it may be. It is bringing them to Forte dei Marmi and allowing them to discover a unique dimension of life. But it also means offering them the privilege of choosing, changing perspective and inhabiting the world authentically. Today, luxury is mobility, conscious choice and freedom of time.”
“Luxury,” Zanetti continues, “is creating authentic emotions that endure over time. It is building beauty that becomes a home, every day. It means giving form to tangible desires, but also to intuitions that have not yet taken shape, accompanying the client with respect, empathy and expertise. Luxury is also discretion, attentiveness and design intelligence. And above all, it is the pleasure of living.”
REAL ESTATE ADVISOR
Via Mazzini, 115
Forte dei Marmi
391 3301873
www.realestateversilia.com