In Paris, everything is ready for one of the most anticipated events of the year: the Debutante Ball. Also known as Le Bal, it brings together around twenty young people from royalty, aristocracy and some of the most influential families in the business and artistic world in a unique evening that marks their unforgettable presentation in society. The Shangri-La hotel in the French capital, an old palace with views of the Eiffel Tower, is the setting for this international event that dates back centuries and whose history we review below.
© GTRESFans of The Bridgertons will be very familiar with those high society balls that, in the presence of the Queen, brought together ladies and gentlemen of marriageable age so that marriage would arise from there. Those ‘courtships’ that captivate viewers in the Netflix series are precisely those that have served as inspiration for the Debutante Ball. Because, although the current function is not to find a partner, it is an event linked to the English tradition of the 18th century in which young women were introduced into society, dressed in white robes, white gloves and tiaras.
© Getty ImagesFrance hosted the Debutante Ball between 1957 and 1973. Then there was a hiatus that took two decades to restart. In this second stage, Ophélie Renouard was in charge of reviving this tradition to which she imposed her own rules to adapt it to modernity, while maintaining that magic from centuries ago. She is one of the most prestigious public relations professionals in the French country. She studied psychology at the Sorbonne and began her career with the Taittinger family, owners of a holding company that owns hotels and luxury brands. It was in that context where Le Bal began to celebrate, which it has continued to carry out without the umbrella of the all-powerful company, which was sold in 2010.
© Getty ImagesRenouard knows how important it is to bet on internationality in an event like this, and it is a trait that is part of his DNA. Not in vain, he was born in Vietnam, at the age of ten he moved to Paris and spent the summer in San Francisco with his American godmother. Now his daily life is divided between Europe, the United States and Asia. A unique vision of the world that moves her every year to ‘discover’ young people from all over the world for this event that brings together debutantes of up to twelve nationalities. Commits to harmony between nations, to the empowerment of new generations and, mainly, to solidarity. And the objective is none other than to raise money for charities that help young women, causes that change in each edition to be able to contribute their bit to different groups.
There is a particularity in this celebration: there are no tickets for sale to participate in Le Bal. How are debutantes and cavaliers chosen? By invitation. It is Ophélie Renouard who decides who is part. Practically every year it has included young people from our country. In 2024 Eugenia, the daughter of Luis Alfonso de Borbón and Margarita Vargas, will be present, thus joining an exclusive list of Spanish participants such as Cósima RamÃrez, Daniel Figo, Victoria and Cristina Iglesias Rijnsburger, Amina MartÃnez de Irujo, Tatiana Shin BotÃn-Sanz de Sautuola and Almudena Lapique, among others.
© Getty ImagesLe Bal is also the perfect occasion for young girls to feel like real princesses for a day. Fashion plays a fundamental role in the evening, since the Haute Couture brands are divided to dress each of the debutantes. They wear dream outfits by Stephane Rolland, Giambattista Valli, Oscar de la Renta, Gaultier, Elie Saab, Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood and Georges Hobeika are just some of the houses that create these dream looks. Each debutante leaves the casual clothes in her closet for a few hours to show off a completely personalized style, with dream jewelry. The cavaliersaccompanying the debutantes on their big night, wear tailcoats with white bow ties.
© GTRESA very royal hotel
In the first editions, Le Bal took place in different settings: Crillon hotel, the Automobile Club de France, the Chaillot Palace and The Peninsula hotel. In 2018 the evening moved to the Shangri-La, a setting capable of transporting attendees to centuries ago. Located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, on the right bank of the Seine River, a few meters from the Champs-Elysées and Avenue Montaigne, it was the residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte (Napoleon’s great-nephew) and is considered a historical monument. It houses 100 rooms with views of the Eiffel Tower, two restaurants (including the Michelin-starred Shang Palace), four rooms for celebrations like this party, and a spa area with natural light and a 17-meter pool.