CHANEL is stepping into the world of sports sponsorship, and it’s making waves. The French luxury house has partnered with The Boat Race Company Ltd as Title Sponsor and official Timekeeping Partner for the iconic Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. Starting in 2025, the event will take on a new identity as The CHANEL J12 Boat Race. Starting in 2025, the event will take on a new identity as The CHANEL J12 Boat Race.
This marks the first time the French luxury house has ventured into sports, aligning itself with one of the UK’s most prestigious sporting events. Since 1829, the Oxford-Cambridge showdown has held its place as one of the oldest and most beloved sporting events in the UK. Every spring, the dark and light “Blues” crews face off on the River Thames, powering through 4.25 miles between Putney and Mortlake. With over 250,000 people lining the banks and millions tuning in via the BBC, it’s a key moment in London’s sporting calendar.
The partnership between CHANEL and The Boat Race goes beyond sponsorship; it’s about shared values. Excellence, teamwork, pushing boundaries—the same ethos that fuels Oxford and Cambridge resonates through CHANEL’s creative spirit. Frédéric Grangié, president of CHANEL Watches & Fine Jewellery, put it best: “Synchronicity in rowing is as crucial to the race as watchmaking craftsmanship is to accurate timing. Every rower, like every mechanism in a watch, must work together as one.” The House’s connection to sport runs deep, from Gabrielle Chanel’s pioneering designs that reimagined women’s attire for greater freedom of movement, to CHANEL’s longstanding innovation in fashion, fragrance, and timepieces.
The introduction of the CHANEL J12 Boat Race marks a new chapter. First launched in 2000, the J12 watch took its name from classic J Class yachts, and now, this timeless symbol of precision will be at the heart of one of Britain’s most historic competitions. The collaboration also serves as a spotlight for CHANEL’s watch offerings, especially the J12 model, while strengthening the brand’s ties with the UK. Since moving its corporate headquarters to London in 2018, CHANEL has made major moves—hosting high jewelry showcases, staging runway shows, and supporting retrospectives on Gabrielle Chanel. A new 86,000-square-foot headquarters is set to open in 2025 in Mayfair’s Berkeley Square.
April 13, 2025, is set to bring a modern twist to tradition—expect CHANEL’s iconic touch on and off the water. As luxury fashion houses continue to lean into sports, positioning themselves alongside passion, achievement, and precision, CHANEL is the latest to raise the bar, aligning itself with an event rich in tradition and synchronized elegance. The question remains—who will lead CHANEL’s next chapter, as the House has yet to name a new creative director since Virginie Viard’s departure in June?
