Hidden Treasures, 250 Years of Franco American Luxury Stories is a landmark exhibition by Comité Colbert that brings more than 65 French luxury Maisons and cultural institutions to The Shed in New York, unveiling previously unseen American archives that trace 250 years of shared history. Timed to the 250th anniversary of Franco-American friendship, it explores how luxury, craftsmanship and culture have shaped diplomacy, identity and everyday life on both sides of the Atlantic.
Hidden Treasures is described as “the most exclusive exhibition on French luxury ever held in New York,” presented at The Shed, Hudson Yards, from May 26 to 31, 2026. The show is organized by Comité Colbert – the association of French luxury houses founded in 1954 in partnership with Villa Albertine, JCDecaux, Women’s Wear Daily, The Wall Street Journal and the ISG Luxury Program.
- Event: Hidden Treasures 250 Years of Franco-American Luxury Stories
- Dates: May 26–31, 2026
- Venue: The Shed, 545 West 30th Street, Hudson Yards, New York
65 Maisons and institutions, 65 “hidden treasures”
The exhibition gathers 65 leading French luxury Maisons and cultural institutions, including houses such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Cartier, Baccarat and museums like the Louvre and Château de Versailles. Each participant presents a single “hidden treasure” an object drawn from American archives or history that reveals a little known facet of the France US relationship.
These objects are shown inside bespoke shipping cases that have been transformed into cabinets of curiosity, a nod to the transatlantic journeys and trade routes that carried French luxury to the United States over the past two and a half centuries.
Five thematic chapters
Hidden Treasures is structured into five thematic chapters, each highlighting a different dimension of Franco-American exchange:
- How French craftsmanship accompanied major moments in American diplomacy, politics and public life.
- The influence of French luxury on design, fashion, fragrance, gastronomy and hospitality in the US.
- Stories of collaboration between American patrons, artists and French maisons, from couture gowns to architectural projects.
Taken together, the chapters show how French excellence has both fuelled the American dream and been transformed by it, creating a continuous feedback loop of inspiration.
A living, evolving vision of French luxury
Beyond historical objects, the exhibition frames French luxury as a “living, evolving force” that still shapes and responds to contemporary culture. Through displays spanning fashion, jewellery, perfume, tableware, hospitality, fine food and design, Hidden Treasures invites visitors to see luxury not merely as status, but as a language of craft, innovation and imagination.
As the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs notes, the show highlights “two and a half centuries of artistic, cultural and creative exchanges” and positions luxury as a vehicle for creation, innovation and cultural transmission between France and the United States.
