Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise TOP

Louis Vuitton renews its 35 year partnership with the America's Cup

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 25 Oct 2023 00:25 NZDT 24 October 2023
Emirates Team New Zealand win the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Challenger Playoffs © ACEA 2017 / Gilles Martin-Raget

Louis Vuitton the French fashion house formed in 1854, has renewed its 35 year partnership with the America's Cup.

For the 2024 event, it becomes the Title Partner of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Barcelona and returns to organise its legendary qualifying stages of the Challenger Selection Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Founded just a few years after the first the America’s Cup in 1851, the two institutions have tracked parallel courses for 130 years.

1980 French America's Cup skipper, Bruno Trouble, frustrated with the Defenders having a very competitive selection series to take on a less organised Challenger group, conceived the idea for the Louis Vuitton Cup to be awarded to the winner of the Challenger Selection Series.

In 1982, Henry Henry Racamier, Chairman of Louis Vuitton agreed to sponsor the Challenger Selection Series for the 25th America’s Cup in Newport, Rhode Island.

Their vision was realised in the first year of its competition, when Australia II became the first winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1983, and went on to break New York Yacht Club's 132 year winning streak to uplift the most prestigious trophy in sailing.

Seven Challengers from five countries - Italy, Australia, France, Canada and United Kingdom contested the first Louis Vuitton Cup, which in turn went on to become one of the longest running sponsorships in sport.

Louis Vuitton went on, year after year, to considerably improve the visibility and prestige of the America’s Cup, to the point where the Louis Vuitton Cup generated such momentum, that it outshone the Main Event. Racamier handed over the corporate reigns Yves Carcelle, who was Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton from 1990 to 2012. Carcelle along with Bruno Trouble and Christine Belanger took over the organisation of the shore side of the Louis Vuitton Cup in a relationship that worked well for both challengers and series sponsor.

In a rare award, in the 2010 New Zealand Queen's Birthday Honours, Carcelle was appointed an honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to yachting.

Louis Vuitton were instrumental in keeping the Challengers alive in the three year hiatus when the America's Cup was locked up in the New York Supreme Court, driving the Louis Vuitton Pacific Cup sailed between ten teams using four IACC yachts supplied by BMW Oracle Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand.

A second Louis Vuitton Series was sailed Europe across three venues. However when the Louis Vuitton Cup was revived and contested in 2013 in San Francisco, just three teams participated in a very one-sided contest won by Emirates Team New Zealand.

At the 2017 America's Cup event in Bermuda, Louis Vuitton had a series sponsor only role, and rival Italian fashion house took over the naming rights sponsorship of the Challenger Selection Series and America's Cup in Auckland.

“It’s with an immense sense of pride that we return to this historical competition as Title Partner. Port Vell of Barcelona will be the setting for a display of elegance and power, where teams will compete with boldness, talent and mastery on increasingly innovative yachts. These values equally reflect the spirit of Louis Vuitton and its artisans.,” said Pietro Beccari, President and Chief Executive Officer of Louis Vuitton.

"We are working every day to make the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona the most exceptional ever. By bringing its name and its spirit to the event, Louis Vuitton is once again part of our pursuit of excellence,” said Grant Dalton, CEO of the America’s Cup Event.

The last of three Preliminary Regattas, but the first to be sailed in AC75 raceboats, along with the Youth & Puig Women's America's Cup which have each attracted 12 teams, to be sailed in AC40 one designs, along with the Louis Vuitton Cup, and the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup will take place in Barcelona from the end of August to the end of October 2024.

Not announced is whether the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will re-purpose the Louis Vuitton Cup, which carries 30 years of Challenger Selection Series winners, including four who went on to win the America's Cup - Australia II (1983), Stars and Stripes (1987), Team New Zealand (1995), and Alinghi (2003).

Of the current Cup teams, Emirates Team New Zealand won the trophy, now on display at RNZYS, in 2007 and 2013. Luna Rossa won the closest series of all eight editions in 2000.

About Louis Vuitton

Since 1854, Louis Vuitton has been offering unique creations combining technical innovation with exacting style, striving for the greatest quality in the respect of biodiversity. The Maison remains loyal to the spirit of its founder, Louis, who invented the ‘Art of Travel’. His luggage, bags and accessories were both elegant and ingenious. Boldness still sets the pace for the history of Louis Vuitton today. In keeping with its heritage, the Maison opens its doors to architects, artists and designers while investing in new fields of expression such as ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches, jewellery, and perfume. These products are made with great care, demonstrating the Louis Vuitton commitment to high-quality craftsmanship.

For more information: www.louisvuitton.com

Other Images:

Related Articles

America's Cup: Controversial agreement signed
According to Italian media, the secret AC Partnership agreement has been signed by CoR/D* International sailing journalist, Fabio Pozo, writing for the Milan based newspaper La Stampa, reports that the secret America's Cup Partnership (ACP) agreement is expected to be signed next week. Posted on 21 Sep
America's Cup: Vision for the Naples unveiled
Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute unveiled the vision for the America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Emirates Team NZ and Sport e Salute, the publicly-owned Italian company responsible for promoting sports and a healthy lifestyle across the nation, unveiled the vision for the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027. Posted on 20 Sep
Womens America's Cup opportunities expand
the pathway for female athletes has never been stronger than in the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup 2024 and the inaugural Puig Women's America's Cup was announced following the publication of the Protocol for the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona. It was a moment not only for women's sport and equality but showed that the America's Cup was Posted on 19 Sep
America's Cup: The Elephant(s) in the Room
Some shafts of light have been shed on the negotiation positions of the Challengers and Defender. With nearly 250 pages of America's Cup regulations released, it's clear both the Challenger and Defender have ben forced to take a pragmatic stance on the Naples Cup. Some shafts of light have been shed on the positions of the Challengers and Defender. Posted on 18 Sep
America's Cup: Luna Rossa's Challenge accepted
According to local media the Italian team, Luna Rossa has had its Challenge accepted by the Kiwis. Leading America's Cup journalist, Fabio Pozzo, reports that the Italian team, Luna Rossa has had its Challenge accepted for the 2027 Cup in Naples. Posted on 12 Sep
America's Cup: ETNZ's design boss on new AC75 Rule
Kiwi design chief, Dan Bernasconi on recycled AC75 hulls, electric power and other rule changes. Kiwi design chief, Dan Bernasconi on the use of recycled AC75 hulls, the switch to full electric power, and other changes. He claims there is plenty of performance gain left in the AC75 for the designer teams. Posted on 12 Sep
America's Cup: Class Rule and Tech Regs out
The America's Cup Class Rule and Technical Regulations for the Naples Match have been published With the clock ticking down to the start of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027, the AC75 Class Rules and Technical Regulations have been issued to all teams and published with a focus on cost containment. Posted on 11 Sep
America's Cup: Running silent and deep, again.
A look at the flotsam that has surfaced as the Cup teams again go into deep and silent negotiation. A look at the state of the Cup - given the three weeks of silence since the hasty final Protocol signing. Previously a long deep dive by the teams has indicated that a lot of negotiation is underway. Here's what we've seen floating on the surface. Posted on 10 Sep
From The Other Side - The State of the Sport
The editors of Sail-World New Zealand and Inside Great Lakes Sailing discuss the state of sailing. The Editors of Inside Great Lakes Sailing and Sail-World New Zealand got together last week to shoot the breeze in an unscripted video discussion, without any pre-arranged "talking points" about various aspects of the sport. Posted on 5 Sep
Youth America's Cup set to continue in Naples
The Youth America's Cup is a sign-post to the future direction of the America's Cup itself. Since its inaugural event in 2013, the Youth America's Cup, designed as a competition for sailors under the age of 25, has always been the most remarkable sign-post to the future direction of the America's Cup itself. Posted on 4 Sep
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMHyde Sails 2024 - One Design