The Shed in Manhattan is hosting “Hidden Treasures,” an exhibition that runs through May 2026 and presents iconic French luxury items traacing 250 years of Franco‑American exchange. Organized by the Comité Colbert, the show pulls artifacts from 65 French maisons, ranging from a pink Givenchy coat once worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to a 1935 advertisement for Veuve Clicquot. The display, arranged in shipping containers, dramatizes the transatlantic journey that has linked the two cultures since the Revolutionary era.

Jacqueline Kennedy’s Givenchy Coat Highlights 1960s Style Diplomacy

The pink wool coat, a Givenchy piece loaned by the house, was famously worn by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis during her 1961 state visit to France. The garment symbolizes how American political figures have leveraged French fashion to craft a global image of elegance. as the exhibition catalog notes, the coat “recalls Jacqueline Kennedy’s 1961 trip to France, a moment that cemented her status as a global style icon.”

Veuve Clicquot’s 1964 Hamburger Ad Shows Early U.S. Market Tailoring

A 1964 advertisement displayed in the exhibit features Veuve Clicquot champagne paired with hamburgers, illustrating an early effort by French brands to embed luxury into everyday American life. The ad, cited by the curators, marks a deliberate shift away from positioning champagne solely for formal occasions. This marketing tactic foreshadows the modern surge in U.S. demand for French luxury goods, a trend the exhibit ties to current expansion plans by French maisons.

Benjamin Franklin’s 1782 Libertas Americana Medal Connects Diplomacy to Design

Among the oldest objects is the Libertas Americana medal commissioned by Benjamin Franklin in 1782 from French artists at the Paris mint. The medal,on view at The Shed, provides a tangible link to the diplomatic origins of the Franco‑American relationship, predating even the Statue of Liberty’s 1886 dedication. According to the exhibition’s press release, the piece “offers a tangible link to the diplomatic origins of the relationship.”

Unanswered Questions About the Exhibit’s Future Scope

While the show fetaures 65 maisons, it leaves open whether additional American designers will be invited to contribute future installments, and how the exhibit might travel beyond New York. The curators have not disclosed plans for a touring version, nor have they clarified the criteria for selecting the next batch of artifacts.. These gaps invite speculation about the long‑term strategy of Comité Colbert in promoting French luxury abroad.

According to the exhibition organizers, the timing aligns with “both the anniversary celebrations and a period of significant American demand for French luxury goods.” Professor James Burroughs of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce also remarks that the United States has shifted from being “overshadowed by dominant cultures like France” to becoming a major market for these brands. the exhibit, therefore, serves both as a historical retrospective and a contemporary statement of ongoing cultural dialogue.