To mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, France is once again honouring one of the most powerful symbols of Franco-American friendship: the Statue of Liberty. An event organised on Liberty Island, with the support of L’Oréal Group and Estée Lauder Companies, recalls the history of a monument that has come to symbolise the world.
On 6 July, Liberty Island hosted a ceremony celebrating the ties between France and the United States. Centred around a spectacular light show, the event brought together representatives from various institutions as well as executives from major French and American groups, including L’Oréal Group and Estée Lauder Companies. This initiative forms part of the festivities marking the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence and highlights the shared values of freedom, innovation and cooperation between the two nations.
A gift from France that has become a universal symbol
The history of the Statue of Liberty began in the 1860s. The idea was championed by the French lawyer Édouard de Laboulaye, who wished to present the United States with a monument celebrating the friendship between the two peoples and democratic ideals.
The project was entrusted to the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi. Following the death of the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, it was Gustave Eiffel who designed the internal metal framework to support the monument’s immense copper plates.
The statue was completed in France, then dismantled into several hundred crates before being shipped across the Atlantic. It was unveiled on 28 October 1886 by US President Grover Cleveland on Bedloe’s Island, now known as Liberty Island. Since then, it has welcomed travellers entering New York Harbour and remains one of the world’s most iconic monuments.
An icon that still carries meaning
Nearly 140 years after its inauguration, the Statue of Liberty continues to embody the values of freedom, hope and openness. The light show devised by France for the 250th anniversary of the United States illustrates this desire to bring this shared heritage to life through a contemporary creation.
For L’Oréal Group, Estée Lauder Companies and the event’s partners, this celebration goes beyond a mere historical tribute: it serves as a reminder that cultural, economic and human exchanges between France and the United States remain as relevant as ever. In an ever-changing international context, ‘Lady Liberty’ remains a bridge between the two sides of the Atlantic, true to the purpose her creators intended for her nearly a century and a half ago.
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