- Le Bal Des Debutantes is an exclusive debutant ball held in Paris annually
- The extravagant event gives young women of high society a chance to debut
- Past A-listers have included Lily Collins and Ava Phillippe
You could be excused for thinking the sea of stunning haute couture gowns and dazzling accessories are in preparation for a ritzy awards show – but actually, it’s the annual Le Bal des Débutantes.
The extravagant event, which this year will be held in Paris on November 30, sees young women from some of the prestigious – and wealthiest – families from Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S. make their debut into society.
Each deb, coming from the upper class or aristocrat families, is accompanied by a cavalier, a young man who escorts her as she presents herself to society.
Le Bal sees between 20 and 25 debs every year, and among them are some familiar faces.
Past royalty to dazzle include the Prince of Wales’ cousins, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Amelia Windsor.
It’s not only royalty that dress to impress at the chic event, with some Hollywood names even traveling to Paris for the event.
Unearthed photos show past debs dressed to impress like Lily Collins, 35, who made her debut in 2007, accompanied by now Tatler editor Richard Dennen.
The Emily In Paris star, who is the daughter of singer Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman, wore a stunning Chanel haute couture gown.
Lily Collins , 35, who made her debut in 2007, accompanied by now Tatler editor Richard Dennen
The gorgeous dress featured intricate embellishments, feathers, a demure satin bow and an asymmetric hemline.
She accessorized with satin peep toe heels and stunning drop earrings adorned with three flowers.
Her hair was curled and tied back into a ponytail.
In 2019, Lily posted some photos from the ball, sharing a photo from the event.
‘THT debutante baby! All dressed up for the Crillon Ball with @richarddennen and ready to dance into the weekend…,’ she wrote.
The actress made her debut alongside a distant relative of King Charles, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, and jewelry designer and heiress Tansy Aspinall.
Lily isn’t the only A-list name to make societal debut at Le Bal.
In 2017, Ava Phillippe, the daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, attended the exclusive event.
In 2017, Ava Phillippe, the daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, attended the exclusive event
The 25-year-old wore a jaw-dropping Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown, with her blonde hair in loose waves that fell past her shoulders.
The stunning dress had a princess-style skirt and long sleeves, with Ava wearing one ring on her finger.
She was accompanied by polo player, Maharaja of Jaipur Padmanabh Singh.
Ava later reflected on her experience on Instagram, writing: ‘Wow! I am so thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet so many beautiful, kind, supportive, and passionate young women (and men!) at Le Bal.’
This year A-list names include Sophia Loren’s granddaughter Lucia Ponti.
