Comité Colbert, The Custodians of Elegance

For 72 years, the world’s oldest representative association for luxury has embodied the pinnacle of French excellence, preserving and promoting centuries-old savoir-faire. In 2026, it will mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with a journey through time—celebrating the enduring elegance of a long and beautiful Franco-American friendship.

Credit © Courtesy of Comité Colbert

Small hands do great works. And time, it seems, cannot contradict this singular collective, created in 1954 through the vision of perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain, son of the creator of the iconic Mitsouko and Shalimar fragrances. Today, the Comité Colbert brings together more than a hundred Houses and cultural institutions dedicated to promoting French savoir-faire and the art de vivre around the world.

Credit © David Atlan

Once perceived as a frivolous pursuit reserved for the coquette, luxury now generates billions of euros in revenue and represents nearly 30 percent of the CAC 40. No longer defined by ostentation alone, it has returned to its roots—where the work of artisans “perpetuates the skills learned from their elders,” as Bénédicte Epinay, CEO of the Comité Colbert, explains. 

Through centuries of evolution and crisis alike, these Houses have endured, emerging as strategic assets deeply rooted in tradition while serving as powerful ambassadors in global markets. 

“America is our primary market. More than sixty Houses and

cultural institutions are participating — a record.” —Bénédicte Epinay, CEO, Comité Colbert

Credit © Courtesy of Comité Colbert

“The image of excellence in this industry is based on a combination of heritage and modernity, often linked to the historical expertise of a region,” Epinay emphasizes.

“Examples include Cosmetic Valley, the cradle of innovation in perfumery and cosmetics near Orléans and Chartres, and Glass Vallée, which accounts for 70 percent of global production of luxury glass bottles in northern France.” 

Villages, towns, and regions such as Limoges (porcelain), Reims (champagne), and Lyon (silk and textiles) showcase these ancestral crafts, while Paris has given birth to—and continues to sustain—the most legendary names: Lanvin, Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels. The Comité Colbert stands at the forefront of this great love affair with the arts and crafts, cultivating and protecting the “made in France” label. 

Behind textiles and leather, watchmaking and jewelry, perfumes and cosmetics, wines and spirits, hospitality and gastronomy, tableware and decoration, music and publishing, are passionate men and women who transform French authenticity into an invaluable quality. Each creation carries the value of time, meticulousness, rarity, delicacy, and emotion—often requiring hundreds, even thousands, of hours of work for a single object. 

In a 21st century shaped by mass production, fast fashion, digital life, artificial intelligence, and the influence of celebrities and social media, the Comité Colbert remains faithful to its founding principles and long view. Some of its members trace their origins back to the 16th century with Saint-Louis crystal, the oldest House, or even the 9th century with the Monnaie de Paris, the oldest institution. This reverence for time remains the cardinal value shared by all its members. 

Credit © Courtesy of Comité Colbert

Today, craftsmanship and technology are shifting perspectives within a dynamic ecosystem that encourages new generations to join the sector and engage with innovation across retail and production. The Comité Colbert continues to link imagination and creativity, experience and emotion, shaping a vision of luxury that approaches the art object—where excellence lies in work beautifully done. In 2022, it launched “Les De(ux)mains du Luxe” (Two Hands of Luxury), a national event devoted to training in the arts and crafts. The 2026 edition will travel through regions of France before returning to the Grand Palais in Paris in 2027, offering the public rare insight into the life of the artisan. 

Yet the most anticipated moment on the horizon is undoubtedly “Hidden Treasures: 250 Years of Franco-American Friendship” (working title), created in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. “America is our primary market,” Bénédicte Epinay reiterates. “More than sixty Houses and cultural institutions are participating—a record. All of them will pay tribute and share their American story through extensive archives.

In budgetary terms, this represents the largest part of my work for the year.” The heritage exhibition will open on May 26, 2026, at The Shed cultural center in New York City, accompanied by live demonstrations of the Houses’ savoir-faire before embarking on a tour across the United States. 

The Comité Colbert thus continues to seduce, educate, reward (Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres), create employment, and evolve with consumer expectations and market forces in the digital age. The virtues of slow craftsmanship and creative flow—an artisan’s state of deep commitment—merge seamlessly to ensure that the voice of French luxury continues to resonate across generations.