In a 30-page book, the fruit of a partnership with Le Figaro, the French luxury goods organization has assembled previously unpublished documents recounting the seven decades of its existence. Since its creation, the Comité Colbert’s mission has been to promote and preserve the expertise of the emblematic companies and institutions that make it up…
Luxury is made to endure the decades, and even the centuries…
In France, the cradle of the industry, the organization that represents its Houses, the Comité Colbert, is celebrating its 70th anniversary with an anniversary book, produced in partnership with Le Figaro. A total of 40,000 copies will be distributed on October 18, at the same time as the daily newspaper’s WE offer, coupled with Le Figaro Magazine and Madame.
For the occasion, the organization delved into its rich archives. The Colbert Group, founded in October 1954 on the initiative of renowned perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain and since renamed Comité Colbert, has grown and developed along with French luxury goods…
From 15 to 95 companies
At the time of its creation, the association, whose mission is “the development of exporting companies employing a high-quality French workforce”, brought together just 15 companies, all family-owned, operating in the fashion, tableware, perfume and beauty sectors.
Since then, the Committee’s field of activity has grown considerably: it now brings together “95 French luxury brands (many of which belong to listed groups), 18 cultural institutions and 6 European luxury brands, covering14 professions, from perfumery to jewelry, from fashion to goldsmithing, from gastronomy to wines and spirits, not forgetting design and decoration”.
Its mantra perpetuates its initial vocation: “ To passionately promote, sustainably develop and patiently pass on French know-how and creation in order to inspire dreams ”.
It’s easy to understand why Colbert was chosen as the organization’s “godfather”. Louis XIV’s minister of arts and manufactures, Colbert understood before anyone else, with the help of his sovereign, that luxury could be a soft power. The Château de Versailles and its Hall of Mirrors, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, bear witness to this to this day… As does the Comédie Française, founded by Colbert, which, like Versailles, is one of the cultural institutions brought together by the Committee.
It’s easy to imagine how the history of the Comité, coupled with that of all its Maisons, could provide choice material for the booklet celebrating its 70th anniversary, scheduled for publication on October 18.
Soft power
Assembled in “scrapbooking” style, the album brings together press clippings, photographs and anecdotes, and is organized into five chronological chapters: the origins of a fully-fledged industrial sector (1954-1970), the years of expansion (1970-1988), the era of maturity (1989-2004), the exploration of new territories (2005-2019), and finally the current communications challenge (2010-2024).
This book is a pertinent way of highlighting the major contribution of luxury to France’s economic and artistic influence.
France is the world champion in luxury goods, and is ranked at the top of the international league table,” emphasizes Bénédicte Epinay, General Delegate of the Comité Colbert. Its houses have also inspired the world in the organization of its soft power with the creation of the Comité Colbert 70 years ago. From preserving know-how to raising the profile of this industry, these issues of general interest are on the agenda of all our members, who are convinced of the need to respond to them collectively.”
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Read also > Comité Colbert welcomes two new members: Citadelles & Mazenod and Lelièvre Paris
Featured Photo: © Comité Colbert
