Women's Lifestyle May 26, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Secret World of French Luxury: The Original Kelly Bag Exhibit You Can’t Miss!

So here we are, celebrating 250 years of America this summer—a milestone that’s got everyone gearing up for fireworks, parties, and all things grandiose. But what if I told you the real celebration is happening quietly, tucked away at the Shed in New York? Yup, instead of the usual razzle-dazzle, there’s this intimate exhibition called “Hidden Treasures” that takes a deep dive into a centuries-old luxury love story between America and France. Ever wondered how these two powerhouses of style and elegance have influenced each other over the years? It’s more than just fancy fashion and iconic bags—it’s about culture as a steadying force when politics and economies throw curveballs. Trust me, this blend of diplomacy, design, and history is something worth pausing for. Ready to peek behind the curtain of this glamorous transatlantic friendship? LEARN MORE

3 min read

This summer marks the 250th anniversary of America, and with it will come many over-the-top events across the country. Beginning today, however, a quieter but no less important celebration is taking place at the Shed in New York, honoring the centuries-old relationship between American and French luxury.

Titled “Hidden Treasures,” this new limited-run exhibition (it runs through May 31) has been curated and produced by the Comité Colbert, a diplomatic organization that helps to foster the growth of and collaboration between various luxury maisons in France. It is also responsible for strengthening and maintaining France’s global impact in the areas of fashion, design, fragrance, beauty, jewelry, and watchmaking. In “Hidden Treasures,” this first-of-its-kind initiative is explored in the context of the Franco-American relationship to luxury, with 65 pieces on display that speak to the long-held creative and cultural dialogue between the two countries.

“We’re celebrating 250 years of friendship,” says Comité Colbert’s CEO Bénédicte Epinay days before the opening. “This was the perfect agenda to celebrate culturel overall, we are celebrating culture. When economies are up and down, when politics are up and down, culture is a synonym of stabilization. Culture creates links, beauty creates links—these times need cultural diplomacy.”

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Courtesy of The Comité Colbert

Hubert de Givenchy Haute Couture, Fall-Winter 1959

The exhibition is divided into five chapters that each explore themes ranging from trade and international relations to transatlantic travel and cultural collaborations. The exhibition has been mounted in a space on the top floor of the Shed, with cabinet-of-curiosity–like displays set around wooden crates designed to underscore the idea that these objects have traveled from France to New York City.

In the fashion sections, participating houses like Chanel, Dior, Celine, and Givenchy each chose one or two pieces to display from their archives—for example, the bubblegum pink double-breasted coat designed by Hubert de Givenchy for first lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s first official overseas visit to France in June of 1961. There is also a gold one-shoulder sash gown designed by Christian Dior for his New York label in 1948, coinciding with the opening of his first American store. Of course, “Hidden Treasures” also features an original Hermès Kelly bag from 1950, as well as a couple of Louis Vuitton’s iconic trunks, one from 1907 and another from the spring 2001 collection and collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Stephen Sprouse.

Job recruitment event on May 26, opportunity #1174

Courtesy of The Comité Colbert

Kelly Bag, c. 1950

While some of the pieces in the exhibition are more well known, there is also a lot to discover, like the Baccarat clock once gifted by Arthur Miller to Marilyn Monroe in the late 1950s or the U.S. mail-themed scarf designed by Céline Vipiana in 1966. In one cheeky vignette, we see the breast-baring harness dress designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and modeled by Madonna in a 1992 fashion show that raised funds for the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

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Courtesy of The Comité Colbert

Pinstripe Dress with Invisible Bra Suggested by Leather Suspenders, 1992. Wool and leather © Jean Paul Gaultier Archives

According to Epinay, it was difficult for the maisons to choose among the incredibly special pieces from their vast archives. “They found a lot of surprises,” she says. “For example, Dior didn’t know that they had a lot of dresses from the New York line, and they also found a bottle of perfume they didn’t know they had. It was really interesting for them to do these deep dives.”

Epinay hopes others will glean new insight into the Franco-American luxury relationship beyond the iconic lore. “I want people to learn that we have this longstanding relationship between French luxury and America, and that we didn’t build this industry alone,” she says. “We built it with inspiration from all over the world and from the United States.”