The 20th
anniversary
edition
March 14 & 15, 2025
at UNESCO • Paris

Now more than ever, as economic and diplomatic tensions between Europe and China intensify, French luxury houses and the Comité Colbert, which represents them, play an essential role in practicing a form of French cultural diplomacy towards China. Could you help us understand these relationships? And what role does the Comité Colbert play in this cultural "diplomacy"?

Bénédicte Epinay: This desire to promote French luxury and the art of living is one of the Comité's primary missions, along with the preservation of craftsmanship. In fact, its very reason for being is an expression of this. "Promote passionately, transmit patiently, develop sustainably, French expertise and creation to inspire dreams." The Comité Colbert has played this role as a "cultural diplomat" since its creation in 1954, at the initiative of Jean-Jacques Guerlain. We are a few years after World War II, and the urgency was to reopen major international markets. The power of the Comité Colbert collective allowed this bold approach, saying, "Together, we are stronger."

Thus, it is together and as pioneers that the Houses engage in new markets, carrying the voice of luxury through a variety of events that highlight French excellence while respecting cultural dialogue.

While China is an important market for the Comité Colbert Houses today, dialogue between the two countries began in 2003. The pinnacle of this dialogue came two years later with the exhibition at Plaza 66 in Shanghai titled "French Luxury Exhibits in China," a true demonstration of craftsmanship. The association also visited India, where, in 2006, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with FICCI, the Indian equivalent of Medef. The goal was clear: "To inspire the creation of foreign counterparts who share the same values of excellence, respect for craftsmanship and creation, in order to defend a high-value sector together."

From 2010 onwards, the focus expanded to additional destinations—Bahrain, Brazil, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Turkey, among others—while continuing to engage with established markets. Each time, the Comité Colbert relied on time-tested elements from the past to offer demonstrations by artisans, dialogues of expertise, conferences, and exhibitions. These exchanges highlight the sector’s interest in the diversity and richness of cultural dialogue.

In fact, last November, you organized the event "Jeux de mains" in Shanghai to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China. What were the goals of this meeting, and what was the outcome? Which houses were most involved in this event?

The Comité Colbert did indeed organize an exhibition in Shanghai last November as part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China. Titled "Jeux de mains," this event was conceived as a dialogue between French artisans from our Houses and Chinese master craftsmen, all sharing exceptional mastery of their respective skills. The exhibition brought together 17 pieces, one representing each of the 17 Comité Colbert Houses involved. It was a game of precision and vision, poetry, and color... Each piece demonstrated the excellence of French craftsmanship (jewelry, leather, embroidery, etc.), with a Chinese artisan’s expertise in view. Sharing the same workbench and sometimes using identical tools, the artisans overcame the language barrier to communicate in mutual admiration.

These unique encounters deserved an exceptional curation and staging... The artist and designer Jiang Qiong Er imagined this staging, placing dialogue at the very heart of her creation. "There are two areas in the world where there is no cultural divide: beauty and love. We all understand beauty, which is a matter of aesthetics, and love, which is an emotional matter."

Another symbol of the bridge between East and West, the exhibition was hosted in a house in the heart of the beautifully restored historic Zhang yuan district. The Shikumen-style buildings combine Western and Chinese elements, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding skyscrapers, symbols of modern Shanghai.

Highly praised by a wide audience of over 10,000 people, this event is part of the Comité Colbert’s DNA and its diplomatic mission. Since 2005, sustained exchanges with China have resulted in exhibitions of French craftsmanship in Shanghai. More recently, during the Covid epidemic, the Comité Colbert launched a mini-program on WeChat, inviting Chinese consumers to a digital tour of 66 of its Houses, which was visited by 146 million people.

The Comité Colbert is now a faithful partner of the Université de la terre, which will take place on March 14-15, 2025, around the theme "Nature = Future," and will celebrate its 20th anniversary at UNESCO. What is the role and action of luxury houses in changing the relationship with the living world? What examples should be highlighted, and how can excellence and responsibility be reconciled?

The question of social and environmental responsibility is on the agenda for all our Houses, sometimes for over 20 years. The values of sustainable development are inherently linked to our industry: respect for the creator, their work, and the client; the transmission of know-how; the quality and longevity of products; the preservation of raw materials; the entrepreneurial vision anchored in the long-term history. These values express the meaning of our purpose mentioned earlier.

For the past four years, the Comité Colbert Houses have even undertaken, through an annual report, to share their commitments in terms of sustainable development. Even longer ago, a dedicated commission has been reflecting on our collective responsibility. This year, for the first time, we will produce a CSRD report as a summary of the reports from our Houses. This is a further step in sharing useful knowledge with everyone. Because, in light of the journey ahead to improve our impact on society, we are convinced that the collective is a true strength and an opportunity for the future.

Today, faced with the urgent need to protect natural ecosystems, contribute to the fight against climate change, and develop future prospects for young people, the Comité Colbert is committed to doing its part. Preserving life is obviously fundamental, and this is the purpose of our second participation in the Université de la terre. All our products and services are the result of materials, talents, and exceptional creations that take from or are inspired by nature, which we must therefore protect and restore.

On March 14th, you will organize a session at UNESCO entitled "La nature, source infinie d’émotions,," where representatives from your Houses will share with the public at the Université de la terre how nature nourishes their craftsmanship. What message do you hope to convey through these testimonies?

In the various luxury trades, nature is indeed an infinite source of creation: flowers, vines, cotton, silk, terroirs, climate, soils... But this infinite source must unfortunately now integrate the issue of the finiteness of the world and its resources. Preservation and regeneration are no longer optional but necessary and understood by all. Through these encounters, we will exchange perspectives, cultures, and experiences. We will learn how the passion for the exceptional is transmitted. We will understand what matters for those who create. We will explore the importance of sourcing, and how the precious is born, along with the enchantment it provides.