The private banking dynasty's enthusiasm for such yachts goes back to 1875. Also, in current garb, the yacht is a great way to spread its brand and associate with ideas around technology, design and competition.

Edmond de Rothschild has unveiled Gitana 18, the newest Maxi Edmond de Rothschild sailing vessel, at Lorient in France.

The 32-metre vessel, a trimaran, is designed to “fully transition to a flying mode,” making use of modern nautical and aerodynamic design – on a par with the super-fast sailing vessels in the America’s Cup series, for example.
 

The launch highlights a relationship between the banking dynasty and yachts that goes back 150 years. The new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is the 28th boat in Gitana’s maritime saga. The first yacht of that name was ordered by Baroness Julie de Rothschild in 1875.

Alongside building this racing yacht, there has also been the graphic identity of this trimaran vessel – a way for the EdR bank to project its image. A driving force in the fusion of design and yacht racing competition is Ariane de Rothschild, CEO of the bank since 2023. She co-founded the yacht with her husband Benjamin in 2000.

Some of the design work for the Gitana 18 yacht sits within a Palais de Tokyo programme devoted to street art. The livery of this yacht has been designed by Florian and Michaël Quistrebert.

“We have always maintained a close relationship with graphic design. Moreover, this is expressed in our family crest, which Benjamin [de Rothschild] redesigned with Philippe Druillet. For every boat, especially the latest Gitanas, we’ve sought to ensure that the visual dimension contributes to their identity. We’ve often reinterpreted our family emblem, on occasion isolating certain elements to transform them into fully-fledged graphic motifs.”

In a statement from the Gitana team, it said the retractable foils on the vessel have been inspired by the appendages on the flying monohulls of the America’s Cup. They can generate lift, boost power and give the crew different trimming options to handle varied points of sale and conditions.