Honoring 250 Years of French Craftsmanship and Influence in America

“In America, love for France is instinctive,” Women’s Wear Daily wrote in 1917.

This sentiment heralded the declaration of France Day in New York State that year. This enduring bond between America and France has left its mark on fashion, food and beyond, from the stylish streets of New York to Hollywood.

For more than a century, French luxury goods have captivated American consumers and vice versa, both playing an influential role in shaping global trends. Founded in 1954 by perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain, the Comité Colbert — the French luxury goods trade association — is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and its long-standing commitment to promoting French luxury through artistry and craftsmanship abroad. WWD is also revisiting its timeline, highlighting iconic French brands and creatives who brought their cross-cultural vision to America.

French accessories — lace, millinery, cosmetics, jewelry and perfumes — began appearing in American stores as early as 1910, just as WWD began its coverage of the growing fashion industry, with Cartier’s jewelry and Louis Vuitton’s iconic trunks leading the charge. In 1913, couturier Paul Poiret introduced the “new mode” concept to fashionable women in the U.S., making return trips into the late 1920s and laying the groundwork for future innovators. By the 1930s, Coco Chanel, was captivating Hollywood, reshaping perceptions of Parisian luxury, and her role in it, while at the same time shaping a vision of enduring influence in the U.S.

In 1947, when Christian Dior revolutionized postwar fashion with his acclaimed “New Look,” and introduced the “Miss Dior” ready-to-wear label to eager U.S. consumers, he solidified Paris as a global fashion capital. He expanded the craftsmanship France has come to be known for outside the country’s borders. Continuing the support of Franco-American collaborations were high-end retailers like Neiman Marcus in Dallas, which, having already embraced the couture, continued to showcase trailblazers in French fashion like Cristóbal Balenciaga and Hubert de Givenchy, amongst others.

The retail momentum for French fashion, primarily driven by Neiman Marcus alongside luxury boutiques and other department stores, set the stage for Yves Saint Laurent’s game-changing Rive Gauche debut in 1965. His return to America after seven years with his eponymous label — already celebrated in the pages of WWD — helped establish YSL as a household name in fashionable U.S. cities, particularly New York.

During an interview with WWD during that visit, Saint Laurent said, “J’attends beaucoup de choses” (“I am ready for many things” in English). His statement captured the imagination of American women, who embraced his vision.

By the 1970s, Saint Laurent had developed connections far beyond the fashion world, becoming deeply intertwined with New York City’s glittering social scene. When he launched his iconic Opium perfume, he did so in grand style — celebrating everywhere from the decks of the “Peking” ship at Pier 16 to the legendary Studio 54.

His influence was immortalized in 1983 when the late Diana Vreeland honored him with a groundbreaking retrospective at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibit made him the first living couturier to receive such a distinction.

Karl Lagerfeld, who brought his vision to Chloé in the 1970s and Fendi and Chanel in the 1980s, remains pivotal to French craftsmanship and innovation. His vision and modernization of these storied brands remains unparalleled.

Lagerfeld’s arrival at Chanel reinvigorated the brand, honoring the legacy Coco Chanel had already built, while pushing it forward in sync — and often ahead — of the times during his 36-year tenure. In 2002, Lagerfeld introduced the Métiers d’Art collections for Chanel in Paris, celebrating the craftsmanship and traditions of the French couture.

He showcased the series in New York in 2006. That same year, he unveiled Chanel’s cruise collection at Grand Central Terminal — a pivotal moment for the brand. Building on this momentum, Lagerfeld brought the show to Los Angeles in 2007, further solidifying Chanel’s position at the forefront of French luxury in America.

In 2013, he paid tribute to Coco Chanel by putting a spotlight on her 1957 Neiman Marcus Award — she was the sole recipient that year — and the house’s historic ties to the American frontier with a runway show in Dallas. For his final Métiers d’Art presentation in the U.S., Lagerfeld selected The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2018 — a fitting venue that encapsulated his vision and enduring legacy.

Following in his footsteps, the brand’s current creative director, Matthieu Blazy presented his first Chanel Métiers d’Art collection in 2026 on the platform of a New York City subway station.

Heading into the 1990s, a new guard of French talent had already arrived. Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaïa and Jean Paul Gaultier, all pioneers of individualism, set the stage for a hyper avant-garde movement synonymous with New York’s downtown and underground club scene. Their imprint remains a part of fashion’s collective nostalgia for the era.

Fashion continues to evolve with French brands and talent thriving in the U.S. today — just look at Christian Dior’s and Louis Vuitton’s recent cruise shows in Los Angeles and Manhattan, respectively. This enduring success is thanks in part to the Comité Colbert and its 96 plus luxury maisons, which champion collaboration, timeless craftsmanship and modern artistry on a global scale.