ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

French luxury exhibition 'Hidden Treasures' opens in New York for US semiquincentennial

exhibition · 2026-05-08

To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, 65 prestigious French luxury brands and cultural organizations will gather in Manhattan for the exhibition 'Hidden Treasures: 250 Years of Franco-American Luxury Stories.' This event will take place from May 26 to May 31 at the Shed's rooftop space in Hudson Yards. The showcase, organized by Comité Colbert—established in 1954 and named after Jean-Baptiste Colbert, finance minister to Louis XIV—features fashion and jewelry brands, champagne and cognac producers, crystal artisans, luxury hotels, the Palace of Versailles, and notable museums, including a replica of the 'Mona Lisa.' Bénédicte Épinay, president and CEO of Comité Colbert, emphasized, 'Luxury is a living force.' The US remains the top market for French luxury, with €72.6 billion (approximately $85 billion) in global exports last year, according to France's Ministry of the Economy and Finance.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'Hidden Treasures: 250 Years of Franco-American Luxury Stories' runs May 26-31 at the Shed in Hudson Yards, New York.
  • 65 French luxury houses and cultural institutions participate, billed as the largest French luxury delegation to the US.
  • Organized by Comité Colbert, founded in 1954, named after Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV's finance minister.
  • Includes fashion, jewelry, champagne, cognac, crystal, palace hotels, Palace of Versailles, museums, and the Mona Lisa (not original).
  • Event marks the US semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence).
  • Bénédicte Épinay, Comité Colbert president and CEO, said luxury is a 'living force' stronger than geopolitics.
  • US is the leading market for French luxury; exports totaled €72.6 billion ($85 billion) in the previous year.
  • Showcase staged in the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Skylights and Lab on the Shed's rooftop.

Entities

Institutions

  • Comité Colbert
  • Palace of Versailles
  • The Shed
  • Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Skylights and Lab
  • Ministry of the Economy and Finance (France)

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Manhattan
  • Hudson Yards
  • France

Sources