The French fashion powerhouse takes a 25 per cent stake in the niche luxury watch company
The incessant industry chatter has become official: Chanel and MB&F have announced a partnership where the French luxury heavyweight is taking a 25 per cent stake in the Geneva-based independent watchmaking brand.
Known for making wildly inventive “time machines” that are akin to kinetic sculptural art, MB&F has garnered a devoted following for its off-kilter take on contemporary watchmaking since its launch in 2005. Chanel, while well-established in the upper echelons of luxury fashion, has also been intentional in building its horological prowess—from establishing its own watchmaking studio in 1987 to acquiring a watch manufacturing facility in 1993.
Chanel’s investment in MB&F follows similar partnerships with independent watch marques like Romain Gauthier in 2011 and F.P. Journe in 2018. Frédéric Grangié, president of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, describes this as a “long-term strategy to continue to preserve, develop and invest in specialist know-how and expertise, reaffirming our position in high-end watchmaking.”
Given MB&F’s philosophy, which amalgamates the best talents in independent watchmaking, from movement designers and artists to manufacturers, Chanel’s decision seems well-aligned.
With the partnership, MB&F’s founder, Maximilian Büsser, will continue to spearhead the creative and management vision of the brand and retain his company’s majority stake of 60 per cent. Büsser’s partner, Serge Kriknoc, owns 15 per cent of the company.
“It was our responsibility, in today’s very favourable context and with our management team in its prime, to take this major step to ensure our long-term future – a natural evolution for a company celebrating its 20th anniversary next year,” says Büsser.
