This year, the Prix de Diane Longines celebrates its 176th edition on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at the Chantilly racecourse. It goes far beyond the scope of a simple social event centered around a prestigious horse race. Brands, patrons, and networking professionals gather here to forge relationships, attract a targeted clientele, and promote their values in an exceptional setting.
The prestigious Chantilly estate, former residence of Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale (1822-1897), is not only home to the famous Horse Museum, but also the setting, 40 km from Paris (1 hour by train), for a horse racing event that is as social as it is business-oriented, held every year in mid-June.
In addition to the horse race, which is part of the new Arc Races circuit, a chic and relaxed crowd gathers around the racecourse to enjoy an elegant lunch on the grass. The event also attracts individuals looking to network with high-profile figures, a detail that also appeals to high-end brands.
The Prix de Diane was sponsored from 1977 to 1982 by the beauty brand Revlon, then by Hermès from 1983 to 2007, which set up its brand village there before handing over to Swiss watchmaker Longines in 2011.
Female empowerment in horse racing
The origins of the Prix de Diane date back to 1843, when it was created at the instigation of the Société d’Encouragement pour l’Amélioration des Races de Chevaux (Society for the Improvement of Horse Breeds) with the aim of creating a female equivalent to the Prix du Jockey Club. Inspired by the Greek goddess Diana, symbol of femininity and nature, the Prix de Diane is a prestigious race reserved for three-year-old fillies, run over 2,100 meters at the Chantilly racecourse.
From the outset, this event was seen as a social occasion as much as a horse race. Very quickly, the elegance of the spectators – especially the women – became an essential part of the event. Over the decades, the Prix de Diane has established itself as a moment where the worlds of sport, fashion, and luxury come together. In the 1920s and 1930s, major fashion houses such as Gabrielle Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, Madeleine Vionnet, and Charles Frederick Worth began to make an appearance, and photographs of women wearing hats helped shape the sophisticated image of the event.
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Featured photo: © Florian Leger/France Galop
