Bal des débutantes

Le Bal des Débutantes, also known simply as "le Bal" (or, previously, the "Crillon Ball"),[1] is a debutante ball and fashion event held annually in November that brings together 20–25 girls aged 16 to 22 from about a dozen countries.

Le Bal des Débutantes
GenreClothing and fashion exhibitions
Frequencyannually
Location(s)Paris, France
Inaugurated1958
Organised byOphélie Renouard
Vanity Fair photo shoot with the 2011 Debs

Starting in 1992, it has been organised by Ophélie Renouard as a couture event by invitation.[2][3][4][5][6] The young women don gowns from haute couture and couture designers,[7] as well as foreign fashion houses. They all wear jewelry from the same jeweler.[8][9] The débutantes usually come from famous families.

The event raises money for charity; the most recent editions have supported two organizations.[10][11] Since 2009, le Bal has supported Enfants d'Asie, which provides education for girls in Southeast Asia.[12] Since 2015 it has also supported Seleni, a non-profit that finances research in healthcare for adolescent mothers.[3]

In 2005, Forbes cited it as one of the world's 10 "hottest parties".[13]

Fashion houses

The ball introduces to its débutantes the world of high fashion while creating an impression of it to the rest of the world. It can also be deemed as an important opportunity for fashion houses to achieve brand exposure.[14] [15]

For example, in 2008, French actor Jean Rochefort's daughter Clémence, made her debut wearing a Nina Ricci gown.[16] Anna Cleveland van Ravenstein, on the other hand, had been modeling for Chanel for years before "Uncle Karl [Lagerfeld]" helped her pick out a vintage gown for le Bal.[14]

Some couture houses have produced special gowns for the event, for instance Carolina Herrera in 2003 for Diana Mellon, and, in 2014, Danish designer Jesper Hovring for Viola Mikkelsen.[17] In 2018, the Indo-French fashion house Lecoanet Hemant made a gown for HRH Princess Ananya Raje Scindia of Gwalior.[18] Jet Li's daughter Jane Li was dressed by Dior in 2019.[19]

The Event
Deb Sokhna N'dour dressing for le Bal in 2008

Planning and preparations include inviting the débutantes and their cavaliers and meetings with the debs and their families.[20] From 1992 to 2012, le Bal was organized at the Hôtel de Crillon.[21][22] The Hôtel Raphael was the hotel of le Bal in 2013 and 2014[23] and the event was held in the Palais de Chaillot in 2015, overlooking the Eiffel Tower.[24] Le Bal was held at the hotel The Peninsula Paris in 2016 and 2017,[25] and in 2018 and 2019 at the Shangri La Hotel in Paris.

Friday, or the eve of le Bal, is when the débutantes come together for the first time. The makeup and hair styling sessions start at 9:00am. Then, the débutantes don their dresses, shoes,[26] and jewels, and the individual and group photo sessions[27] last for the rest of the day.[20] On Friday evening, the débutantes' fathers and cavaliers take part in a waltz class with two teachers.[20]

The débutantes have sessions with By Terry for makeup[28] and Alexandre de Paris for hair.[29]

Debs dance and talk at the 2009 Ball at the Hôtel de Crillon.

The débutantes are introduced in alphabetical order on the arms of their cavaliers[20] by journalist and author Stéphane Bern.[30] Then the dinner is served.[31] After dinner, the débutantes who are the most followed by the media open le Bal, followed by all of the fathers with their daughters.[31][32]

Opening dance

Each year since 2005, there has been a débutante who opens the dancing with a waltz.[33]

This opening dance is followed by a waltz with all of the fathers and débutantes. The fathers then cede their daughters to the cavaliers, and the waltz is replaced with contemporary music with a live band. The debs then return their dresses and their jewels. The débutantes and their cavaliers finish the evening out clubbing.[58]

The debutantes

The criteria for invitation are an attractive appearance,[21][59] intelligence, and famous parents.[21][26] They often come from families known in entertainment, business, or politics.[60]

As le Bal is also a couture event, the gowns are fashion show dresses and le Bal's team endeavors to find the most suitable ones.[21]

From 2000 to 2003, le Bal welcomed a winner from a contest held by the French magazine Jalouse each year. Each one was chosen based on a submitted application.[61]

Majority of the participants must familiarize themselves with wearing haute couture dresses, trading common teen fashion items for "heels, tiaras and haute couture gowns worth up to £30,000 each".[31][21]

In interviews, the débutantes usually speak of the pleasure of wearing couture dresses, the charity aspect of the event,[12] and the opportunity to meet girls from different countries.[62][63]

The cavaliers

Each débutante is escorted by a cavalier. He may be by a young man of her own choosing, such as a brother, cousin, friend, or boyfriend. However, nearly half of the débutantes, particularly those travelling from abroad don't bring their own cavaliers; they rely instead on the organizers of le Bal to find a cavalier.[64] As claimed by the organizer, Renouard, choosing the cavalier on their ages, the language they speak, their heights and possibly their backgrounds usually produces an optimal match for the débutantes.[14]

Media coverage
The 2011 Debs photographed at le Bal

Coverage often emphasizes the cachet of the event and its elegance.[65] It has been claimed that "Le Bal has really maintained its exclusivity; all the top designers participate, and there have never been any sleazy photographs of the débutantes."[66]

References
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