GEORGE V MAGAZINE
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Bridgerton fans will not miss the opportunity to draw parallels between the coming-of-age ball, where girls make themselves known to society in search of a husband with a good position, and the Debutantes Ball. However, although the protocol in society is similar, the fact that there are no weddings in sight marks a distance between both events. That and the fact that the parade of personalities that yesterday strolled through the halls of the Shangri-La hotel in Paris are not exclusively aristocratic but belong to different public spheres of society.
Le bal, which is the name given to the event that Ophélie Renouard took up again in 1994 after a few years of inactivity, is today a charity event with the coming-out of several young women from different parts of the planet. Apple Martin, daughter of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Chris Martin (lead singer of Cold Play) has been one of the surprises at the 2024 Debutantes Ball, where Eugenie de Borbón was expected , the only one who wore a tiara at the ball and was presented as a princess as heir to the Duke of Anjou.
Origin of The Debutante Dance
In 18th century England, young aristocratic women were introduced to society at a ball held at Buckingham Palace in the presence of the Queen . They went hand in hand with a married woman (either their mother or another relative) and were around the age of majority. This coming-out party was the way in which noble families exposed their young women to form marriages of convenience in high society . It was a way of introducing the girls who were willing to marry to the single aristocrats who were looking for marriage. With this event presided over by the Queen, a season of balls was opened where young women could now attend alone and establish ties with their suitors.
Since the concept was re-formulated in 1994, this dinner organised by public relations woman Ophélie Renouard has only retained a few protocolary elements with respect to the old English tradition, such as access to the ballroom by appointment. Today, only young women who have been invited by the organisation attend the debutante ball, and the most striking thing about their presence is not their names and their position (aristocratic or not) but the Haute Couture dress they wear and the story behind their looks. And, of course, it should be noted that beneath the imperial appearance of this celebration there is a charitable cause , as the guests at the dinner donate funds to different non-profit organisations.
A Haute Couture Ball
The big fashion houses are the ones who benefit the most from the celebration of this event. In an idyllic setting (from the Shangri-La hotel you can see a beautiful postcard of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background), the Haute Couture show is magnified. This year, it is worth highlighting the Valentino model worn by Apple Martin , a blue dress with a strapless neckline and a corset-like bodice adorned with a large black bow over a maxi skirt with pleated flounces. It is also worth mentioning the beautiful Giorgio Armani dress worn by Lucia Ponti (Sofia Loren’s granddaughter), also with a strapless neckline, whose design impresses with the rhinestones embedded in its floral motifs. Eugenia de Borbón ‘s extraordinary look also did not go unnoticed , the most regal of all, with a tiara included. For the Debutante Ball, the 17-year-old decided to reuse the dress worn by her mother, Margarita Vargas , at the wedding of Alberto and Charlene of Monaco.
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