- Le Bal Des Debutantes is an exclusive debutante ball held annually in Paris.
- The extravagant event gives young people from high society the opportunity to debut
- Previous celebrities have included Lily Collins and Ava Phillippe.
You might be forgiven for thinking that the sea of stunning couture dresses and dazzling accessories are being prepared for a lavish awards show, but it’s actually the annual Le Bal des Débutantes.
At this extravagant event, which this year will be held in Paris on November 30, young women from some of the most prestigious (and richest) families in Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States make their debut in society.
Each deb, coming from upper class or aristocratic families, is accompanied by a gentleman, a young man who accompanies her while she appears in society.
Le Bal sees between 20 and 25 debutants each year, and among them there are some familiar faces.
Past royals to shine include the Prince of Wales’ cousins Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Amelia Windsor.
It’s not just royalty who dresses to impress at this elegant event, some Hollywood names even travel to Paris for the event.
The unearthed photos show past debs dressed to impress as Lily Collins, 35, who made her debut in 2007, accompanied by now Tatler editor Richard Dennen.
The Emily In Paris star, daughter of singer Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman, wore a stunning Chanel couture dress.
Lily Collins, 35, who debuted in 2007, accompanied by now Tatler editor Richard Dennen.
The gorgeous dress featured intricate embellishments, feathers, a demure satin bow, and an asymmetrical hem.
She accessorized with satin peep toe heels and stunning earrings embellished with three flowers.
Her hair was curled and tied in a ponytail.
In 2019, Lily posted some photos from the dance and shared a photo from the event.
‘THT debutante baby! All dressed for the Crillon Ball with @richarddennen and ready to dance until the weekend…’ he 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 making her social 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 stunning Giambattista Valli Haute Couture dress, with her blonde hair in loose waves that fell past her shoulders.
The stunning dress had a princess-style skirt and long sleeves, and Ava wore a 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 excited to have had the opportunity to meet so many beautiful, kind, supportive and passionate young women (and men!) at Le Bal.”
This year, the A-list names include Sophia Loren’s granddaughter, Lucia Ponti.